Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/126

dolphe, letting fall on the balcony two or three lucifers rolled up in paper.

“A thousand thanks,” replied Sidonia, lighting her cigarette.

“Pray, mademoiselle,” continued Rodolphe, “in exchange for the trifling service which my good angel has permitted me to render you, may I ask you to do me a favor?”

“Asking already,” thought the actress, as she regarded Rodolphe with more attention. “They say these Turks are fickle, but very agreeable. Speak, sir,” she continued, raising her head towards the young man, “what do you wish?”

“The charity of a little tobacco, mademoiselle; only one pipe. I have not smoked for two whole days.”

“Most willingly: but how? Will you take the trouble to come down stairs?”

“Alas! I can’t! 1 am shut up here, but am still free to employ a very simple means. He fastened his pipe to a string, and let it glide down to her balcony, where Sidonia filled it profusely herself. Rodolphe then proceeded, with much care and deliberation, to re-mount his pipe, which arrived without accident. “Ah, mademoiselle!” he exclaimed, “how much better this pipe would have seemed, if I could have lighted it at your eyes!”

It was at least the hundredth edition of this amiable pleasantry, but Sidonia found it superb for all that, and thought herself bound to reply: “You flatter me.”

“I assure you, mademoiselle, in right-down earnest, I think you handsomer than all the Three Graces together.”

“Decidedly, Ali-Baba is very polite,” thought Sidonia. “Are you really a Turk?” she asked Rodolphe.

“Not by profession,” he replied, “but by necessity. I am a dramatic author.”

“And I an artist,” she replied; then added, “My dear