ich she hoped to ascend from her irregular and unsatisfactory life.

This was a most splendid fete at which she assisted. In the memory
of all beholders no such entertainment had taken place. Two colored
lanterns hung on the acacias at the entrance, the vestibule was lighted,
and at least thirty candles were burning in the salon, the floor of
which Madou had so waxed and rubbed for the occasion that it was as
brilliant and as dangerous as ice. The negro boy had surpassed himself;
and here let me say that Moronval was in a great state of perplexity as
to the part that the prince should take at the soiree.

Should he be withdrawn from his domestic duties and restored for one
day only to his title and ancient splendor? This idea was very tempting;
but, then, who would hand the plates and announce the guests? Who could
replace him? No one of the other scholars, for each had some one in
Paris who might not be pleased with this system of education; and
finally it was decided that the soiree must be deprived of the presence
and prestige of his royal Highness. At eight o'clock, "the children of
the sun" took their seats on the benches, and among them the blonde head
of little De Barancy glittered like a star on the dark background.

Moronval had issued numerous invitations among the artistic and literary
world--the one at least which he frequented--and the representatives of
art, literature, and architecture appeared in large delegations.
They arrived in squads, cold and shivering, coming from the depths of
_Montparnasse_ on the tops of omnibuses, ill dressed and poor, unknown,
but full of genius, drawn from their obscurity by the longing to be
seen, to sing or to recite something, to prove to themselves that they
were still alive. Then, after this breath of pure air, this glimpse of
the heavens above, comforted by a semblance of glory and success, they
returned to their squalid apartments, having gained a little strength
to vegetate. There were philosophers wiser than Leibnitz; there were
painters longing for fame, but whose pictures looked as if an earthquake
had shaken everything from its perpendicular; musicians--inventors
of new instruments; savans in the style of Dr. Hirsch, whose brains
contained a little of everything, but where nothing could be found by
reason of the disorder and the dust. It was sad to see them; and if
their insatiate pretensions, as obtrusive as their bushy heads, their
offensive pride and pompous m