Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books

Transcriber's Note: 1. Page scan source: http://books.google.com/books?id=g9o9AAAAYAAJ

'Gloria Victis!'

2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe].

'Gloria Victis!'

BY OSSIP SCHUBIN Author of "Our Own Set."

'Gloria Victis!'

NEW YORK WILLIAM S. GOTTSBERGER, PUBLISHER 11 MURRAY STREET 1886

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886 by William S. Gottsberger in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington

"There is no help for it, I must do it to-day," the Baroness Melkweyser murmured with a sigh breathed into the depths of the toilet-glass, before which, she was sitting while her maid dressed her hair. "It is now just a week," she went on to herself, after having uttered the above words aloud, "quite one week since Capriani entrusted the affair to me. I have met him three times, and each time was obliged to tell him that there had been no favourable opportunity as yet. He is beginning to take my delay ill. Come, then, _courage!_.... _en avant!_.... Truyn certainly ought to be glad to marry his daughter as soon as possible, and I cannot see why Gabrielle should make any objection to becoming the sister-in-law of the Duke of Larothiére. To be sure, most Austrians have such antediluvian ideas! _Nons verrons!_ I will, as Capriani desires, see how the land lies."

She shrugged her shoulders as though shifting off all responsibility and turning to her maid exclaimed: "_mais dépêchez vous donc_, Euphrosine, will you never remember how much I always have to do!" Whereupon the impatient lady, snatched from her maid the head-dress which she was arranging, and, quite in the style of Napoleon I., crowned herself.

The scene lies in Paris. The short after-season which, like an echo of the carnival, is wont to follow Lent, that holy intermezzo crowded with charity-bazaars, musical soirées and other elegant penitential observances, is rather duller than usual this year. Easter came too late and although _Figaro_ continues its daily record of balls and routs, Paris takes very little heed. All genuine enthusiasm for such entertainments is lacking. Paris thinks of nothing now save the races, the last auction at the Hôtel Drouôt, the latest change of ministry, and the newest thing in stocks.