house with Mlle. Laguerre, whom he first discovered, and brought into
fashion before Bouret's time. Charles Edward's own father was an
officer without any fortune in 1789. The Revolution came to his
assistance; he had the sense to drop his title, and became plain
Rusticoli. Among other deeds, M. Rusticoli married a wife during the
war in Italy, a Capponi, a goddaughter of the Countess of Albany
(hence La Palferine's final names). Rusticoli was one of the best
colonels in the army. The Emperor made him a commander of the Legion
of Honor and a count. His spine was slightly curved, and his son was
wont to say of him laughingly that he was _un comte refait
(contrefait)_.

"General Count Rusticoli, for he became a brigadier-general at
Ratisbon and a general of the division on the field of Wagram, died at
Vienna almost immediately after his promotion, or his name and ability
would sooner or later have brought him the marshal's baton. Under the
Restoration he would certainly have repaired the fortunes of a great
and noble family so brilliant even as far back as 1100, centuries
before they took the French title--for the Rusticoli had given a pope
to the church and twice revolutionized the kingdom of Naples--so
illustrious again under the Valois; so dexterous in the days of the
Fronde, that obstinate Frondeurs though they were, they still existed
through the reign of Louis XIV. Mazarin favored them; there was the
Tuscan strain in them still, and he recognized it.

"Today, when Charles Edward de la Palferine's name is mentioned, not
three persons in a hundred know the history of his house. But the
Bourbons have actually left a Foix-Grailly to live by his easel.

"Ah, if you but knew how brilliantly Charles Edward accepts his