A Parisian Romance — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A PARISIAN ROMANCE. 203 of the table, and unfurled a large black fan, which she wore attached to her girdle by a silver chain. One after another, the other couples returned gayly to their places, laughing and out of breath. The baron, slowly, dnd with apparent difficulty, filled a glass to the brim with champagne, and raising it in the air, he said, with a glance around the circle of his guests that had something of vacancy in it: “T offer you another toast, and the last.” “No! No! not the last,” exclaimed Rosa. “Yes, the last. To Matter! The fruitful source of all things, and, in particular, of the delightful things we are enjoying at this present moment! To Matter, which sparkles in our glasses like a dis- tilled essence of precious stones, and fills our veins with youth and pleasure!” The baron paused a moment, and seemed trying to collect his thoughts. “Bravo!” cried Vaumartin. “Bravo!” echoed the rest. “To Matter!” continued Chevrial, his voice sound- ing a little thicker and huskier than before. “To Matter, that shines forth from the white shoulders of our young friends—”— “Bravo! Goon!” “To Matter! I said, to Matter!” It was with great effort that he spoke now, and the words fell slowly from his lips, as if forced out. “To Matter! which—united to money—gives pro- Gomichbooksseo AA