Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/22

famous evening when I imitated the athletic sports of the 4th Olympiad. After dining he came to Momus’s to philosophize with Trapadoux, another library on two legs.” Nadar goes on to state that it must have been from this contact with Trapadoux that Wallon derived his own mania for mystery. Every evening he would discreetly escape from the Café Momus and vanish no one knew where. On several occasions his companions strove to follow him, but he always managed to throw them off the scent. They, therefore, imagined a little romance, and created out of their own minds a lady who, though nobody knew why, received the title of “The lady with the green umbrella.” The truth was, that Wallon was about the quietest of the set. “He represented amongst us,” says Nadar, “where naturally everything had its representative, a dead science, theology {{..}} he bore all his life upon his strong shoulders the weightiest and also the vainest of chimeras, the reconciliation of the primitive Church with modern society, that dream of some tender souls.” He became a voluminous writer on ecclesiastical and theological topics, his works including a history of the Church of France, and after being for some time manager of the Imprimerie Nationale he died in 1882. Trapadoux was a tall, spare, strongly built fellow, with a thick beard and shaggy hair, who wore a tall hat and a long green coat, whence he derived his nickname of the “Green Giant.” No one ever knew whether he had private property or some remunerative employment. He was only seen on the quays hook-hunting on Sundays and holidays. At dusk he would go to the Café Momus where he dined, and where the landlord in exchange for certain literary counsels used to give him a special wine. He too wrote a theological work, Jean de Dieu, and also some dramatic criticisms, notably one on Madame Ristori.