a fete day. At that time
the Carnival was in full blast, and the streets were crowded with
curious spectators. A carriage drew up before a fashionable restaurant
in the Palais Royal. The carriage was driven by a coachman wearing a
powdered wig, and the horses were magnificent. Three young men with
cigars in their mouths descended from the carriage, and took the path
that led to the garden.

They were wrapped in Venetian cloaks and each wore on his shoulder knots
of ribbon, different in hue, and each concealed his face under a white
satin mask, to which mask the police made no objection, as it was a sign
of high birth and nobility.

These young men laughed when they found they were to pass through a
double row of spectators, to whose jokes they replied in kind.

Lights were beginning to twinkle among the trees when they established
themselves at a table in the cafe.

"I am thankful to say," exclaimed one of the young men, "that the
Carnival is nearly over."

"Fernando is right," said one of the two others. "We have been out now
for two hours, and we have not had the smallest adventure."

"Pshaw!" answered the third youth, who was called Arthur by his friends,
"we have a long evening before us, and it would be odd if we did not
find some excitement and could not create a little scandal!"

Of these three young men one was named Arthur de Montferrand; his father
had made himself a name in the Chamber of Peers by defending the
assassins of Marshal Brune; the other, Gaston de Ferrette, was a great
duelist, although not more than twenty-four, and belonged to the best
blood in France.

The third was less known in Paris. He was an Italian who was traveling
in France. His name was Fernando de Vellebri. He came with letters from
princes and ambassadors, which opened to him the first hotels in the
Faubourg. This was the time when the word "dandy" began to be used, and
these three aspired to the title.

"Where is Frederic?" said one. "Would he fail us now?"

"Of course not. Besides, he wrote to me to say that he was to go with
Mademoiselle de Salves to witness some ceremony at Notre Dame!"

"Poor Frederic!"

"He is not so much to be pitied, if you please, for Mademoiselle de
Salves is a most charming person."

"But does he love her? That is the question."

"It seems to me that you take a great deal of interest in my private
affairs, gentlemen!" said a clear voice behind them.

"Frederic! Frederic, at last!"

"Y