“You must acknowledge that I have done you a great service.”

A QUEER NIGHT IN PARIS

Mattre Saval, notary at Vernon, was passionately fond of music.  Although still young he was already bald; he was always carefully shaven, was somewhat corpulent as was suitable, and wore a gold pince-nez instead of spectacles.  He was active, gallant and cheerful and was considered quite an artist in Vernon.  He played the piano and the violin, and gave musicals where the new operas were interpreted.

He had even what is called a bit of a voice; nothing but a bit, very little bit of a voice; but he managed it with so much taste that cries of “Bravo!” “Exquisite!” “Surprising!” “Adorable!” issued from every throat as soon as he had murmured the last note.

He subscribed to a music publishing house in Paris, and they sent him the latest music, and from time to time he sent invitations after this fashion to the elite of the town: 

“You are invited to be present on Monday evening at the house of M. Saval, notary, Vernon, at the first rendering of ‘Sais.’”

A few officers, gifted with good voices, formed the chorus.  Two or three lady amateurs also sang.  The notary filled the part of leader of the orchestra with so much correctness that the bandmaster of the 190th regiment of the line said of him, one day, at the Cafe de l’Europe.

“Oh!  M. Saval is a master.  It is a great pity that he did not adopt the career of an artist.”

When his name was mentioned in a drawing-room, there was always somebody found to declare:  “He is not an amateur; he is an artist, a genuine artist.”

And two or three persons repeated, in a tone of profound conviction: 

“Oh! yes, a genuine artist,” laying particular stress on the word “genuine.”

Every time that a new work was interpreted at a big Parisian theatre M. Saval paid a visit to the capital.

Now, last year, according to his custom, he went to hear Henri VIII.  He then took the express which arrives in Paris at 4:30 P.M., intending to return by the 12:35 A.M. train, so as not to have to sleep at a hotel.  He had put on evening dress, a black coat and white tie, which he concealed under his overcoat with the collar turned up.

As soon as he set foot on the Rue d’Amsterdam, he felt himself in quite jovial mood.  He said to himself: 

“Decidedly, the air of Paris does not resemble any other air.  It has in it something indescribably stimulating, exciting, intoxicating, which fills you with a strange longing to dance about and to do many other things.  As soon as I arrive here, it seems to me, all of a sudden, that I have taken a bottle of champagne.  What a life one can lead in this city in the midst of artists!  Happy are the elect, the great men who make themselves a reputation in such a city!  What an existence is theirs!”