Page:The life and writings of Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) (IA lifewritingsofal00spurrich).pdf/171

 those gentry only too well. "Here—here are another fifteen francs—go and bury another!"

The many stories which are told of Dumas's shifts to get money, and of his prodigality, are some of them amusing, but most of them untrustworthy. He himself was conscious of his failing, but was never able to cure himself of it. "When my hand closes on anything it can grip," he said laughing, "anything but money. Ah! money is so smooth, it slips through my fingers!"

One evening Dumas promised his theatrical company a bal masqué, followed by a supper.

"Ah!" cried a young and pert actress, "and who will pay?"

"Parbleu, I shall," answered Dumas, "shan't I be disguised?"

In later years, when the struggle to keep his revenue up to his expenditure became very keen, Dumas was almost as great at borrowing as at giving, and showed the same magnificent carelessness as to the sequel. Frequently he brought his wit to the service of his needs, as, for instance, when Porcher, who had advanced Dumas money on the prospects of his first play, and always been of service to the dramatist on similar occasions, begged the great man to "tutoyer" him. This form of the second-person singular implies, with the French, familiarity in friendliness.