heherazade," represented with the greatest luxury in Berlin through
the endorsement of his powerful friend, William II. The Count had lived
many years in the Orient. In fact, he was a great gentleman and an
artist of exquisite sensibility as well as a soldier.

Since Desnoyers was now his guest, the Count could not permit him
to remain silent, so he made an opportunity of bringing him into the
conversation.

"Did you see any of the insurrections? . . . Did the troops have to kill
many people? How about the assassination of Poincare? . . ."

He asked these questions in quick succession and Don Marcelo, bewildered
by their absurdity, did not know how to reply. He believed that he must
have fallen in with a feast of fools. Then he suspected that they were
making fun of him. Uprisings? Assassinations of the President? . . .

Some gazed at him with pity because of his ignorance, others with
suspicion, believing that he was merely pretending not to know of these
events which had happened so near him.

His nephew insisted. "The daily papers in Germany have been full
of accounts of these matters. Fifteen days ago, the people of Paris
revolted against the Government, bombarding the Palais de l'Elysee, and
assassinating the President. The army had to resort to the machine guns
before order could be restored. . . . Everybody knows that."

But Desnoyers insisted that he did not know it, that nobody had
seen such things. And as his words were received in an atmosphere of
malicious doubt, he preferred to be silent. His Excellency, superior
spirit, incapable of being associated with the popular credulity, here
intervened to set matters straight. The report of the assassination was,
perhaps, not certain; the German periodicals might have unconsciously
exaggerated it. Just a few hours ago, the General of the Staff had
told him of the flight of the French Government to Bordeaux, and the
statement about the revolution in Paris and the firing of the French
troops was indisputable. "The gentleman has seen it all without doubt,
but does not wish to admit it." Desnoyers felt obliged to contradict
this lordling, but his negative was not even listened to.

Paris! This name made all eyes glisten and everybody talkative. As soon
as possible they wished to reach the Eiffel Tower, to enter victorious
into the city, to receive their recompense for the privations and
fatigues of a month's campaign. They were devotees of military glory,
they co