brought the descendant of the Rusticolis fifty francs by way of alms.
La Palferine received the visitor with perfect courtesy, and talked of
various persons at court.

"'Is it true,' he asked, 'that Mlle. d'Orleans contributes such and such
a sum to this benevolent scheme started by her nephew? If so, it is very
gracious of her.'

"Now La Palferine had a servant, a little Savoyard, aged ten, who waited
on him without wages. La Palferine called him Father Anchises, and used
to say, 'I have never seen such a mixture of besotted foolishness
with great intelligence; he would go through fire and water for me; he
understands everything--and yet he cannot grasp the fact that I can do
nothing for him.'

"Anchises was despatched to a livery stable with instructions to hire
a handsome brougham with a man in livery behind it. By the time
the carriage arrived below, La Palferine had skilfully piloted the
conversation to the subject of the functions of his visitor, whom he has
since called 'the unmitigated misery man,' and learned the nature of his
duties and his stipend.

"'Do they allow you a carriage to go about the town in this way?'

"'Oh! no.'

"At that La Palferine and a friend who happened to be with him went
downstairs with the poor soul, and insisted on putting him into the
carriage. It was raining in torrents. La Palferine had thought of
everything. He offered to drive the official to the next house on
his list; and when the almoner came down again, he found the carriage
waiting for him at the door. The man in livery handed him a note written
in pencil:

"'The carriage has been engaged for three days. Count Rusticoli
de la Palferine is too happy to associate himself with Court
charities by lending wings to Royal beneficence.'

"La Palferine now calls the civil list the uncivil list.

"He was once passionately loved by a lady of somewhat light conduct.
Antonia lived in the Rue du Helder; she had seen and been seen to some
extent, but at the time of her acquaintance with La Palferine she had
not yet 'an establishment.' Antonia was not wanting in the insolence of
old days, now degenerating into rudeness among women of her class. After
a fortnight of unmixed bliss, she was compelled, in the interest of
her civil list, to return to a less exclusive system; and La Palferine,
discovering a certain lack of sincerity in her dealings with him, sent
Madame Antonia a note which made her famous.

"'MADAME,--Your c