A Parisian Romance — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

v7 ) A PARISIAN ROMANCE, “Considering that he is with his wife,” observed Vaumartin to Tirandel, who sat beside him in the stalls, “our friend, the baron’s, appreciation of Rosa is a trifle too marked to be entirely in good taste.” “Beast!” ejaculated Tirandel, laconically. More than one man in the house shared this opin- ion of the king of finance, but had the baron been aware of all the uncomplimentary things said of him, he would have cared but little. Like Bismarck, he had no need of the liking of his fellow-beings, and was passably indifferent to criticism. In the next intermission, Chevrial excused him- self to the ladies and wandered out into the lobby, crowded with men, young and old, all in the regu- lation black coat and white cravat, the unbecoming livery of modern society. As he strolled up and down, smoking a cigarette, he was met every where with smiling nods and more than once button-holed by some speculator on the Bourse. Although his personal character was well known and the strict | honesty of his dealings more than suspected, he was too much of a power in the financial world to be treated with anything but courtesy and a sem- blance of respect. Men, as a rule, overlook much more easily the faults of a rascal who has it in his power to benefit them, than those of an honest man from whom they can derive no advantage. The baron was far too clever not to realize the motive of the fawning adulation he received. His opinion of mankind was anything but a lofty one. Gomicbooks.co