CHAPTER II
NUMBER 1313
It took Fifi a whole month to recover from the
shock of delight which she had experienced on the
night she had acted before the Emperor. Meanwhile,
her little head became slightly turned, and
she gave herself airs of great haughtiness to Julie
Campionet, and Moret, the leading man, and even
to Duvernet, the manager. Duvernet was one of
those unfortunates who are the victims of their
own charms. He was reckoned a handsome man,
as beauty goes on the left bank of the Seine, and
was almost invincible with young ladies of the
ballet, milliners' girls and the like. When convinced
that a deserving young woman had fallen
in love with him, Duvernet felt sorry for her, and
honestly tried, by reciprocating her passion, to
keep her from throwing herself in the river.
By virtue of this amiable weakness, he had married in turn, as Cartouche had said, three of his leading ladies, and was only safe from Julie Cam-
