d knew that the poem had been
applauded at the Gaite, and that it had at once been printed on the
first page of the journal; and they were all so pleased, so glad, that
they kissed Amedee on both cheeks. Mamma Gerard remembered that she had
a few bottles--five or six--of old chambertin in the cellar, and you
could not have prevented the excellent woman from taking her key and
taper at once, and going for those old bottles covered with cobwebs and
dust, that they might drink to the health of the triumphant one. As to
Louise, she was radiant, for in several houses where she gave lessons
she had heard them talk of the fine and admirable verses published in Le
Tapage, and she was very proud to think that the author was a friend of
hers. What completed Amedee's pleasure was that for the first time Maria
seemed to be interested in his poem, and said several times to him, with
such a pretty, vain little air:

"Do you know, your battle is very nice. Amedee, you are going to become
a great poet, a celebrated man! What a superb future you have before
you!"

Ah! what exquisitely sweet hopes he carried away that evening to his
room in the Faubourg St.-Jacques! They gave him beautiful dreams, and
pervaded his thoughts the next morning when the concierge brought him
two letters.

Still more happiness! The first letter contained two notes of a hundred
francs each, with Victor Gaillard's card, who congratulated Amedee anew
and asked him to write something for his journal in the way of prose;
a story, or anything he liked. The young poet gave a cry of joyful
surprise when he recognized the handwriting of Maurice Roger upon the
other envelope.

"I have just returned to Paris, my dear Amedee," wrote the traveller,
"and your success was my first greeting. I must embrace you quickly and
tell you how happy I am. Come to see me at four o'clock in my den in the
Rue Monsieur-le-Prince. We will dine and pass the evening together."

Ah! how the poet loved life that morning, how good and sweet it seemed
to him! Clothed in his best, he gayly descended the Rue St.-Jacques,
where boxes of asparagus and strawberries perfumed the fruit-stalls,
and went to the Boulevard St. Michel, where he purchased an elegant gray
felt hat and a new cravat. Then he went to the Cafe Voltaire, where
he lunched. He changed his second hundred-franc bill, so that he might
feel, with the pleasure of a child, the beautiful louis d'or which he
owed to his work and its s