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What he referred to either then, or in what immediately followed, I, of course, knew no more than the man in the moon, though I should probably have found great difficulty in convincing him of my ignorance. 'I take it that you are a reminiscence of the Rue de Rabagas, that, of course; is it not of course? The little house with the blue-grey Venetians, and the piano with the F sharp missing?
It had a French name, and was called the Rue de Rabagas, I saw the name on the corner as I turned into it, and it has left an impress on the tablets of my memory which is never likely to be obliterated. 'It was a narrow street, and, of course, a dirty one, ill-lit, and, apparently, at the moment of my appearance, deserted.
If we compare the 'League of Youth' with Scribe's 'Bertrand et Raton, or with Sardou's 'Rabagas'; if we compare the 'Pillars of Society' with Dumas's 'Étrangère, or Augier's 'Effrontés' we cannot fail to find a striking similarity of structure.
It would seem out of place in a Cairene street, would it not? even in the Rue de Rabagas, was it not the Rue de Rabagas? He asked the question with an emphasis the meaning of which was wholly lost on me.
My own conviction is that there is at this moment in London an emissary from that den in the whilom Rue de Rabagas for all I know it may be the Woman of the Songs herself. Whether the sole purport of this individual's presence is to do me injury, I am, as yet, in no position to say, but that it is proposed to work me mischief, at any rate, by the way, is plain.
He wore no covering on his head or feet. Indeed, his only garment was a long dark flowing cloak which, as it fluttered about him, revealed that his limbs were bare. 'An unique costume for a burglar. 'The instant I saw him I realised that he was in some way connected with that adventure in the Rue de Rabagas. What he said and did, proved it to the hilt. 'What did he say and do?
Quickly perceiving that he had succeeded no better than before, he returned to English. 'You do not know French? nor the patois of the Rue de Rabagas? Very good, then what is it that you do know? Are you under a vow of silence, or are you dumb, except upon occasion?
Thereupon a burst of ironical laughter, etc. And moreover I have fooled the public in regard to the title. They expected another Rabagas! The conservatives have been vexed because I did not attack the republicans. Similarly the communists would have liked some insults against the legitimists.
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