Hugo: A Fantasia on Modern Themes

dream, in which the hat had

d having that ha

solute obscurity was essential to the repose of that singular brain, and he

yellow of a shaded electric globe. It was fifteen minutes past six. At the same moment a bell sounded the quarter in delicate tones, which

stled, and a young man approached his bed-a short,

aw the curtains an

,' said S

, slanted his rays through the six eastern windows, printing a new pattern on the Tripoli carpets. Between the windows were bookcases, full of precious and extraordinary volumes, and over the bookcases hung pictures of the Barbizon school. These book

have t

ch Simon Shawn had brought and left on the night-table. And again, a

als sufficient only for two cups. Nevertheless, they were always a little generous, and, by cheating himself sli

umped vivaciously out of bed, veiled the splendour of his pyjamas be

his bath, when he heard t

s,

n Fantasie, will y

d paused. 'Which particular one

one, Shawn, f

pardo

musical compositions, as interpreted by Simon Shawn with the aid of an ingenious c

es as the last echoes of a mighty chord expired under the dome. He meditat

, Sh

s,

nt a

at,

dy's

s,

ee if you can find me a lady's hat of dark-blue straw, wid

raw, wide brim, trimmed chief

e, you're forge

atch-chain, and handed it to Shawn, who

the immense building, whose occidental fa?ade is the glory of Sloane Street and one of the marvels of the metropolis. Far above him a gigantic flag spr

led line, and along that line two hurrying processions of black dots approached each other, and met and va

every man of forty-six, and especially every bachelor of forty-six, he regarded forty-six as a mere meaningless number, as a futile and even misleading symb

adult existence been ever secretly preoccupied with thoughts, hopes, aspirations, desires, concerning the other sex, but

aid, smiling absently at the Great W

n various ways, sometimes to grandiose and legitimate triumphs, sometimes to hidden shames which it is merciful to ignore. In the main, they had served him well. It was in obedience to

he insubstantial and gay object and restored the gold token. They were

ir,' said Shawn

ork on it. As if you could appreciate her exquisite taste and the amaz

uatorze screen, and blissful

ful,' he muttered-'

fifteen or twenty envelopes had already been sorted from the three thousand missiv

red ink. The autograph note within was from Senior Polycarp, principal partner in Polycarps, the famous firm

tructions to the clerk, Mr. H

manded, indicating the h

s,

hat

ell be discreet,

e artist in hats, illumined mo