Alexandre Dumas pere -- Why he made himself particularly
agreeable to Englishmen -- His way of silencing people -- The
pursuit he loved best next to literature -- He has the privilege
of going down to the kitchens of the Cafe de Paris -- No one
questions his literary genius, some question his culinary
capacities -- Dr. Veron and his cordon-bleu -- Dr. Veron's
reasons for dining out instead of at home -- Dr. Veron's friend,
the philanthropist, who does not go to the theatre because he
objects to be hurried with his emotions -- Dr. Veron, instigated
by his cook, accuses Dumas of having collaborateurs in preparing
his dishes as he was known to have collaborateurs in his literary
work -- Dumas' wrath -- He invites us to a dinner which shall be
wholly cooked by him in the presence of a delegate to be chosen
by the guests -- The lot falls upon me -- Dr. Veron and Sophie
make the _amende honorable_ -- A dinner-party at Veron's -- A
curious lawsuit in connection with Weber's "Freyschutz" -- Nestor
Roqueplan, who became the successor of the defendant in the case,
suggests a way out of it -- Leon Pillet virtually adopts it and
wins the day -- A similar plan adopted years before by a fireman
on duty at the opera, on being tried by court-martial for having
fallen asleep during the performance of "Guido et Genevra" --
Firemen not bad judges of plays and operas -- They were often
consulted both by Meyerbeer and Dumas -- Dumas at work -- How he
idled his time away -- Dumas causes the traffic receipts of the
Chemin de Fer de l'Ouest to swell during his three years'
residence at Saint-Germain -- M. de Montalivet advises
Louis-Philippe to invite Dumas to Versailles, to see what his
presence will do for the royal city -- Louis-Philippe does not
act upon the advice -- The relations between Dumas and the
d'Orleans family -- After the Revolution of '48, Dumas becomes a
candidate for parliament -- The story of his canvass and his
address to the electors at Joigny -- Dumas' utter indifference to
money matters -- He casts his burdens upon others -- Dumas and
his creditors -- Writs and distraints -- How they are dealt with
-- Dumas' indiscriminate generosity -- A dozen houses full of new
furniture in half as many years -- Dumas' frugality at table --
Literary remunera