Asmodeus and the Incognito. 405 



tions and cruelty in our districts. But when Napoleon annihilated 

 the convention, and erected the triumviral consulate, I emigrated to 

 Italy in order to avoid further persecution. There I spent four 

 years, travelling and enjoying all that a young and independent 

 mortal can enjoy in that paradise of Europe. At last, when Napo- 

 leon permitted all the emigrants to return to their country, I settled 

 at Marseilles, where I became much renowned inconsequence of 

 my personal attractions, of my extraordinary skill and good luck in 

 duelling, and of my natural eccentricity. Messieurs, j'ai ete tou- 

 jours amoureux du beau sexe, mais a cette epoque j'en etais fou, et 

 jaloux, and being naturally too selfish on that score when I was 

 opposed in my ardent desire, I generally made my rivals in love 

 pay with their lives for having dared to vie with me in the way of 

 pleasure. Would to God that it were in my power to recal from 

 the grave my unfortunate antagonists; it should be done with all my 

 heart. At Marseilles I became acquainted with a smart young 

 advocate, who was also a favourite of the fair sex, a good duellist, 

 and a perfect Bon-vivant. His name was Peyronnet. With him 

 during many years I shared both pleasures and pains ; my purse 

 was always at his disposal, and more than once I put my own exist- 

 ence in jeopardy to save his life and reputation. Je vous le jure, 

 Messieurs, qu' alors Peyronnet et moi nous ne representions qu'an 

 seul individu. In 1815, after the restoration of our legitimate king, 

 Peyronnet hastened to Paris, in hope of obtaining some preferment 

 at the bar, having been well recommended by M. Ravez to the 

 then all-powerful Abbe Montesquieu; and I lostsight of him. Comme 

 il est aussi, " Un vrai Guascon" il joua si bien ses cartes qu'en 

 1820, il avait deja obtenu le Portefeuille de la justice avec le titre 

 de Comte de Peyronnet. As soon as I was informed of his good 

 fortune I addressed to him from Marseilles a letter of congratula- 

 tion, and begged of him to remember me, car mes amours, et mes 

 duels avaient prequ' aneanti mes finances. Having received no 

 answer I wrote again, but with no better success. Then I deter- 

 mined to repair to Paris, in order to see whether my personal appli- 

 cation to my old friend Peyronnet would meet with the same recep- 

 tion from Count de Peyronnet, Minister of Justice. In short I came 

 to Paris, called at the Hotel of the Minister, gave my card to the 

 usher, and requested him to inform me when the Count would deign 

 to receive me. J'attendis envain une reponse pendant quelques jours. 

 At last I called again, and was informed by the usher that His Ex- 

 cellency could not see me, but that if I had any important business 

 to communicate to him, I was to address myself to his secretary. 

 Dieu de Dieu! This message struck me to the quick, I felt so much 

 offended by the want of gratitude of Peyronnet, que s'il eut ete alors 

 devant moi je 1* aurais certainernent assomme. However, having 

 with great difficulty stifled my anger, I left the Hotel with the inten- 

 tion of endeavouring to speak to him. In fact a few days after I 

 posted myself at the gate of his Hotel, and when, at his return from 

 the court, Peyronnet descended from his carriage, I politely ad- 

 dressed him in my usual way. He stared at me, as if he wished to 



