y as he never
does anything by halves, he had his visiting cards printed with "The
late Barbassou" on them; and this was the way he signed himself at our
banker's, by which means he pretended that he conformed with all
requirements.

"You see how simple the whole thing is," he said to me.

My amours with Kondje-Gul have certainly taken a very remarkable turn.
The other day I took her to Versailles for an educational and historical
excursion; she is continuing her course of civilization, you know. After
visiting the palace and the museum, we went into the park. She was in
the best of spirits, still excited with the fresh air and freedom which
she was enjoying like an escaped prisoner from the harem, and was asking
me questions about everything with that charming simplicity of hers
which delights me so much, when we arrived in front of Diana's Bath,
where we found a group of three young women most brilliantly dressed,
two of whom, as I saw at the first glance, were old acquaintances of
mine, very well known in the gay world. Young Lord B---- accompanied
them, and they all recognised me; but Lord B----, with the well-bred
tact of a man of the world, seeing the company I was in, only nodded
slightly to me. With like discretion, as is usual on such occasions, the
women made no movement of recognition; yet they could not help--being
struck no doubt with the remarkable beauty of my companion--evincing
such evident curiosity, that Kondje-Gul observed it. I, of course,
passed without appearing to notice them. Kondje-Gul and I then took a
turn up the walk, while I expounded the mythology of the bath to her,
and then we went out.

"Who are those ladies?" she asked me as soon as we were at a good
distance from them; "they know you, I could see."

"Oh, yes," I replied in an indifferent tone, "I have met them several
times."

"And the young man who was with them also looked at you as if he was one
of your friends; why did not you speak to him?"

"For discretion's sake, because you were with me, and he was walking
with _them_."

"Ah! I understand," she said; "no doubt they are the women of his
harem?"

"Just so," I answered quite coolly, "and, as I have often told you,
according to our customs, the harem is always----"

I was trying to think of the right word, when she burst out laughing
quite loud.

"What are you laughing at, you silly thing?" I asked.

"I am laughing at all those stories about your harems which you