genue_, little Fantoccini, a biting libeller of other
actresses, with her pitiless tongue. To her left was a shaggy-looking
gentleman, the Addison of New Orleans' letters, a most tolerant
critic, who never spoke to a woman if he could avoid doing so, but
who, from his philosophical stool, viewed the sex with a conviction it
could do no wrong; a judgment in perspective, as it were!

The marquis paid little attention to the men; it was the feminine
portion of the audience that interested him, and he regarded it with a
gloating leer, the expression of a senile satyr. Albeit a little on
the seamy side of life, his rank and wealth were such that he himself
attracted a good deal of attention, matronly eyes being turned in his
direction with not unkindly purport. The marquis perceived the stir
his presence occasioned and was not at all displeased; on the
contrary, his manner denoted gratification, smiling and smirking from
bud to blossom and from blossom to bud!

How fascinating it was to revel in the sight of so much youth and
beauty from the brink of the grave whereon he stood; how young it made
him feel again! He rubbed his withered hands together in childish
delight, while he contemplated the lively charms of Fantoccini or
devoted himself to the no less diverting scrutiny of certain other
dark-haired ladies.

While occupied in this agreeable pastime the nobleman became dimly
conscious the debutante had appeared and was greeted with the moderate
applause of an audience that is reserving its opinion. "Gad," said one
of the dandies who was keenly observing the nobleman, "it's
fashionable to look at the people and not at the actors!" And he
straightway stared at the boxes, assuming a lackadaisical, languishing
air. Having taken note of his surroundings to his satisfaction, the
marquis at length condescended to turn his eye-glass deliberately and
quizzically to the stage. His sight was not the best, and he gazed for
some time before discerning a graceful figure and a pure, oval face,
with dark hair and eyes.

"Humph, not a bad stage presence!" he thought. "Probably plenty of
beauty, with a paucity of talent! That's the way nowadays. The
voice--why, where have I heard it before? A beautiful voice! What
melody, what power, what richness! And the face--" Here he wiped the
moisture from his glasses--"if the face is equal to the voice, she has
an unusual combination in an artist."

Again he elevated the glass. Suddenly his att