ominous whispering, as of spirits, rose and
fell.

It was a strange and stormy night--murky and chilly--while at intervals
the cold rain dashed down in cutting blasts. But within the magnificent
mansion of Gaultier de Rumilly all was light and loveliness, as has been
said. The splendid salons were already thronged, yet crowds of
richly-attired guests were constantly arriving.

"Ha! Beauchamp, just come?" cried Chateau-Renaud to his friend, as he
entered.

"By the grace of God, yes!" said the journalist. "What a night!"

"What a throng of men and women say rather!" was the reply.

"Very true. Who's here?"

"Ask who's not here, and your question may be easily answered. All Paris
is here! Women of every age and station, and men of all political
creeds--Conservatives, Dynastics, Legitimists, Republicans and
Communists. Indeed, this soiree seems to me, and I shouldn't wonder if
it were designed so to be, a general reunion of the leaders of all the
great parties in France, to compare notes and learn the news."

"And there is news enough to learn, it would seem. Is M. Dantes here?"

"He is, or was, and his beautiful wife, too, the most magnificent woman
in Paris. Morrel also is here with his fair bride."

"And who is that dark, dignified man in the Turkish costume, around whom
the ladies have clustered so inquisitively?" asked the Deputy.

"Why, that's the Emir of Algeria, the famous captive of the Duke
d'Aumale," was the reply.

"What! Abd-el-Kader! How comes he here?"

"Oh! as a special favor, I suppose; he has a respite from his sad
prison."

"What a splendid beard, and what keen black eyes!"

"No, his eyes are decidedly gray, but so shaded by his extraordinary
lashes that they seem black. They say that he was more distinguished as
a scholar, in Algeria, than as a soldier, statesman or priest. In fact,
he is as erudite as an Arab can be, and his library, which is contained
in two leathern trunks, accompanied him in all his wanderings prior to
his submission."

"And what think you really induced him to surrender himself?"

"Policy of the deepest character, and worthy of Talleyrand, Metternich
or Nesselrode, if we are to rely on the eloquent speech of Lamoriciere
in the Chamber, the other day."

"I remember. Bugeaud spoke first, and Lamoriciere followed. He thought
that the Arab Curtius leaped into the gulf because, by so doing, he was
convinced he could injure French interests more than by his freedom.