Like most men who have lived much in Paris he cared nothing at all for
the ordinary round of dissipated amusement which carries foreigners and
even young Frenchmen off their feet like a cyclone, depositing them
afterwards in strange places and in a damaged condition. It was long
since he had dined 'in joyous company,' frequented the lobby of the
ballet or found himself at dawn among the survivors of an
indiscriminate orgy. Men who know Paris well may not have improved upon
their original selves as to moral character, but they have almost
always acquired the priceless art of refined enjoyment; and this is
even more true now than in the noisy days of the Second Empire. In
Paris senseless dissipation is mostly the pursuit of the young, who
know no better, or of much older men who have never risen above the
animal state, and who sink with age into half-idiotic bestiality.
Logotheti had never been counted amongst the former, and was in no
danger of ending his days in the ranks of the latter. He was much too
fond of real enjoyment to be dissipated. Most Orientals are.
He spent the evening alone in an inner room to which no mere
acquaintance and very few of his friends had ever been admitted. His
rule was that when he was there he was not to be disturbed on any
account.
'But if the house should take fire?' a new man-servant inquired on
receiving these instructions.
'The fire-engines will put it out,' Logotheti answered. 'It is none of
my business. I will not be disturbed.' 'Very good, sir. But if the house should burn down before they come?' 'Then I should advise you to go away. But be careful not to disturb
me.' 'Very good, sir. And if'--the man's voice took a confidential tone--'if
any lady should ask for you, sir?' 'Tell her that to the best of your knowledge I am dead. If she faints,
call a cab.' 'Very good, sir.' Thereupon the new man-servant had entered upon his functions, satisfied
that his master was an original character, if not quite mad. But there
was no secret about the room itself, as far as could be seen, and it
was regularly swept and dusted like other rooms. The door was never
locked except when Logotheti was within, and the room contained no
hidden treasures, nor any piece of furniture in which such things might
have been concealed. There was nothing peculiar about the construction
of the place, except that the three windows were high above the ground
like those of a painter's studio, and could be opened or shut, or
shaded, by means of cords and chains. There were also heavy curtains,
such as are never seen in studios, which could be drawn completely
across the windows.