e, and I ticketed off every item by its corresponding
voucher. Still I felt that there is a terrible waste somewhere, and said
so to the head of the retail department. "If you will remain downstairs
for one hour," was the answer, "you will have the explanation." I can
only say the same to you, Monsieur le delegue.'

"I did remain on that ground-floor for one hour," Jourde went on, "and,
during that time, no fewer than eight young fellows came in with
vouchers for complete uniforms of lieutenants or captains of the staff.
Most of them looked to me as if they had never handled a sword or rifle
in their lives--yardsticks seemed more in their line; and the airs they
gave themselves positively disgusted me; but I do not want another
reminder of the Central-Committee about my cheeseparing, so I'll let
things take their course. Look, here is a sample of how we deck
ourselves out quand nous allons en guerre."

I looked in the direction pointed out to me, and beheld a somewhat dark
individual with lank, black hair, of ordinary height, or a little below
perhaps, dressed in a most extraordinary costume. He wore a blue Zouave
jacket, large baggy crimson breeches tucked into a pair of quasi-hessian
boots, a crimson sash, and a black sombrero hat with a red feather. A
long cavalry sabre completed the costume. Upon the whole, he carried
himself well, though there was a kind of swashbuckler air about him
which smacked of the stage. I was not mistaken; the scent or the smell
of the footlights was over it all.

"This is Colonel Maxime Lisbonne, an actor by profession, who has taken
to soldiering with a vengeance," said Jourde. "There is no doubt about
his bravery, but he is as fit to be a colonel as I am to be a general.
It does not seem to strike my colleagues that, in no matter what
profession, one has to serve an apprenticeship, and, most of all, in the
science of soldiering; Maxime Lisbonne said he would be a colonel, so
they, without more ado, made him one.[92] He never moves without that
Turco at his heels."

[Footnote 92: During my stay in Paris, 1881-86, as the
correspondent of a London evening paper, I had occasion to see
a great deal of M. Maxime Lisbonne, who is a prominent figure
at nearly every social function, such as premieres, the
unveiling of monuments, the opening of public buildings, etc.
The reason of this prominence has never been very clear to me,
un