The Court of St. Simon

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1912 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II MONSIEUR SIMON THE conversation was almost entirely confined to the two men. Mademoiselle murmured only a few words, and even then D'Argminac was puzzled. She spoke slowly and with much care. The words were correct so far as they went, yet something in their intonation made it very obvious that these two did not belong to the same social station, notwithstanding Albert's statement as to their relationship. For the rest, Mademoiselle took very little notice of this new acquaintance. She was entirely occupied in enjoying an excellent supper. Her two companions ate nothing. "Our much respected friend Albert," remarked Monsieur Simon, "spoke of you as being the only one of its habitues who found this place wearisome. I must confess that I was interested. You are--pardon me--young, Monsieur d'Argminac, to have exhausted the gayeties of this wonderful city." The boy felt for his as yet invisible moustache. The faint irony of the other's tone was entirely lost upon him. "I am perhaps older than I look, Monsieur, Still, a year or two at these places is enough. They are all the same--the dance, the women, the music. There is nothing left." "You have many friends in Paris?" Monsieur Simon asked. "I am fairly well known here," the young man answered. "You wonder, perhaps, that I should care to come to such a place alone. It is simply a whim of mine. I have many acquaintances, at any rate." "Your name is French," Monsieur Simon remarked, "but you are surely English, are you not?" D'Argminac admitted the fact a little reluctantly. "I was educated in England at Eton, but I prefer the French people and their manner of living. After all, though," he added wearily, "I am not sure that it is any better here than anywhere else. I found London insupportable, but I a...


Genre: Literary Fiction