of every year--and he prided himself
on being one of the best dressed noblemen in France.

His order to the obsequious landlord was in few words. "I want some
broth for my dogs, some oats for my horses, a piece of bread and a slice
of ham for myself, and something or other for my grooms"--and then he
advanced smilingly to the table and sat down in a vacant place beside
the pretty soubrette, who, charmed with such a gay, handsome seignior,
had been pleased to bestow a languishing glance and a brilliant smile
upon him.

Maitre Chirriguirri hastened to fetch what he had demanded, while the
soubrette, with the grace of a Hebe, filled his glass to the brim with
wine; which he accepted with a smile, and drank off at a single draught.
For a few minutes he was fully occupied in satisfying his hunger--which
was veritably that of a hunter--and then looking about him at the party
assembled round the table, remarked the Baron de Sigognac, with whom
he had a slight acquaintance, seated beside the fair Isabelle--in whose
company indeed he had seen him already once before that day. The two
young people were talking together in low tones, and quite absorbed in
each other; but the language of their eyes was unmistakable, and the
marquis smiled to himself as he took note of what he supposed to be
a very promising intrigue--wherein he did the youthful pair great
injustice. As a thorough man of the world he was not at all surprised
at finding de Sigognac with this band of vagabond players, from such
a motive, and the half-pitying contempt he had formerly felt for the
shabby, retiring young baron was straightway changed to a certain
admiration and respect by this evidence of his gallantry. When he caught
his eye he made a little gesture of recognition and approval--to show
that he understood and appreciated his position--but paid no further
attention to him, evidently meaning to respect his incognito,
and devoted himself to the soubrette. She received his high-flown
compliments with peals of laughter, and paid him back in his own coin
with considerable wit and much merriment, to the great delight of the
marquis--who was always delighted to meet with any adventure of this
sort.

Wishing to pursue this one, which opened so well, he declared
loudly that he was passionately fond of the theatre, and complained
pathetically of being deprived altogether of this, his favourite
amusement, in the country; then addressing himself to the tyrant he