self-sacrifice; ’Maitre Guerin’ (Guerin the Notary), the hero being an inventor; ‘La Contagion’ (Contagion), the theme of which is skepticism; ‘Paul Forestier,’ the story of a young artist; ‘Le Post-Scriptum’ (The Postscript); ’Lions et Renards’ (Lions and Foxes), whose motive is love of power; ’Jean Thommeray,’ the hero of which is drawn from Sandeau’s novel of the same title; ‘Madame Caverlet,’ hinging on the divorce question; ’Les Fourchambault’ (The Fourchambaults), a plea for family union; ’La Chasse au Roman’ (Pursuit of a Romance), and ‘L’Habit Vert’ (The Green Coat), with Sandeau and Alfred de Musset; and the libretto for Gounod’s opera ‘Sappho.’  Augier wrote one volume of verse, which he modestly called ‘Parietaire,’ the name of a common little vine, the English danewort.  In 1858 he was elected to the French Academy, and in 1868 became a Commander of the Legion of Honor.  He died at Croissy, October 25th, 1889.  An analysis of his dramas by Emile Montegut is published in the Revue de Deux Mondes for April, 1878.

A CONVERSATION WITH A PURPOSE

From ‘Giboyer’s Boy’

Marquis—­Well, dear Baroness, what has an old bachelor like me done to deserve so charming a visit?

Baroness—­That’s what I wonder myself, Marquis.  Now I see you I don’t know why I’ve come, and I’ve a great mind to go straight back.

Marquis—­Sit down, vexatious one!

Baroness—­No.  So you close your door for a week; your servants all look tragic; your friends put on mourning in anticipation; I, disconsolate, come to inquire—­and behold, I find you at table!

Marquis—­I’m an old flirt, and wouldn’t show myself for an empire when I’m in a bad temper.  You wouldn’t recognize your agreeable friend when he has the gout;—­that’s why I hide.

Baroness—­I shall rush off to reassure your friend.

Marquis—­They are not so anxious as all that.  Tell me something of them.

Baroness—­But somebody’s waiting in my carriage.

Marquis—­I’ll send to ask him up.

Baroness—­But I’m not sure that you know him.

Marquis—­His name?

Baroness—­I met him by chance.

Marquis—­And you brought him by chance. [He rings.] You are a mother to me. [To Dubois.] You will find an ecclesiastic in Madame’s carriage.  Tell him I’m much obliged for his kind alacrity, but I think I won’t die this morning.

Baroness—­O Marquis! what would our friends say if they heard you?

Marquis—­Bah!  I’m the black sheep of the party, its spoiled child; that’s taken for granted.  Dubois, you may say also that Madame begs the Abbe to drive home, and to send her carriage back for her.

Baroness—­Allow me—­

Marquis—­Go along, Dubois.—­Now you are my prisoner.