ovince.

"From the time of the Valois till the reign of Richelieu, as it may be
called, the Rusticoli played a most illustrious part; under Louis XIV.
their glory waned somewhat, under Louis XV. it went out altogether.
My friend's grandfather wasted all that was left to the once brilliant
house with Mlle. Laguerre, whom he first discovered, and brought into
fashion before Bouret's time. Charles Edward's own father was an officer
without any fortune in 1789. The Revolution came to his assistance; he
had the sense to drop his title, and became plain Rusticoli. Among other
deeds, M. Rusticoli married a wife during the war in Italy, a Capponi,
a goddaughter of the Countess of Albany (hence La Palferine's final
names). Rusticoli was one of the best colonels in the army. The Emperor
made him a commander of the Legion of Honor and a count. His spine was
slightly curved, and his son was wont to say of him laughingly that he
was _un comte refait (contrefait)_.

"General Count Rusticoli, for he became a brigadier-general at Ratisbon
and a general of the division on the field of Wagram, died at Vienna
almost immediately after his promotion, or his name and ability
would sooner or later have brought him the marshal's baton. Under the
Restoration he would certainly have repaired the fortunes of a great
and noble family so brilliant even as far back as 1100, centuries before
they took the French title--for the Rusticoli had given a pope to the
church and twice revolutionized the kingdom of Naples--so illustrious
again under the Valois; so dexterous in the days of the Fronde, that
obstinate Frondeurs though they were, they still existed through the
reign of Louis XIV. Mazarin favored them; there was the Tuscan strain in
them still, and he recognized it.

"Today, when Charles Edward de la Palferine's name is mentioned, not
three persons in a hundred know the history of his house. But the
Bourbons have actually left a Foix-Grailly to live by his easel.

"Ah, if you but knew how brilliantly Charles Edward accepts his obscure
position! how he scoffs at the bourgeois of 1830! What Attic salt in his
wit! He would be the king of Bohemia, if Bohemia would endure a king.
His _verve_ is inexhaustible. To him we owe a map of the country and the
names of the seven castles which Nodier could not discover."

"The one thing wanting in one of the cleverest skits of our time," said
the Marquise.

"You can form your own opinion of La Palferine fr