French fiction -- Translations into English; Paris (France) -- Fiction
Paul Sillery, who has also made Maurice’s acquaintance, loiters in this
studio. The amiable Bohemian has not yet paid his bill to Pere Lebuffle,
but he has cut his red fleece close to his head, and publishes every
Sunday, in the journals, news full of grace and humor. Of course they
will never pardon him at the Cafe de Seville; the “long-haired” ones
have disowned this traitor who has gone over to the enemy, and is now
only a sickening and fetid bourgeois; and if the poetical club were able
to enforce its decrees, Paul Sillery, like an apostate Jew in the times
of the Inquisition, would have been scourged and burned alive. Paul
Sillery does not trouble himself about it, however; and from time to
time returns to the “Seville” and treats its members to a bumper all
around, which he pays for with the gold of his dishonor. Sometimes
Jocquelet appears, with his smooth-shaved face; but only rarely, for he
is at present a very busy man and already celebrated. His audacious nose
is reproduced in all positions and displayed in photographers’ windows,
where he has for neighbors the negatives most in demand; for instance,
the fatherly and benevolent face of the pope; Pius IX, or the
international limbs of Mademoiselle Ketty, the majestic fairy,
in tights. The journals, which print Jocquelet’s name, treat him
sympathetically and conspicuously, and are full of his praises. “He is
good to his old aunt,” “gives alms,” “picked up a lost dog in the street
the other evening.” An artist such as he, who stamps immortality on all
the comic repertory, and takes Moliere under his wing, has no time to go
to visit friends, that is understood. However, he still honors Maurice
Roger with short visits. He only has time to make all the knickknacks
and china on the sideboard tremble with the noise of his terrible voice;
only time to tell how, on the night before, in the greenroom, when
still clothed in Scapin’s striped cloak, he deigned to receive, with
the coldest dignity, the compliments of a Royal Highness, or some other
person of high rank. A prominent society lady has been dying of love for
him the past six months; she occupies stage box Number Six--and then off
he goes. Good riddance!
Amedee enjoys himself in his friend’s studio, where gay and witty
artists come to talk. They laugh and amuse themselves, and this
Sunday resting-place is the most agreeable of the hard-working poet’s
recreations. Amedee prolongs them as long as possible, until at last he
is alone with his friend; then the young men stretch themselves out upon
the Turkish cushions, and they talk freely of their hopes, ambitions,
and dreams for the future.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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