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THE GALLEY-SLAVE OF PLEASURE.
One morning in the month of May, 1879, a young man, elegantly attired, alighted from a well-appointed carriage before the door of Madame Desvarennes's house.

The young man passed quickly before the porter in uniform, decorated with a military medal, stationed near the door.

The visitor found himself in an anteroom which communicated with several corridors.

A messenger was seated in the depth of a large armchair, reading the newspaper, and not even lending an inattentive ear to the whispered conversation of a dozen canvassers, who were patiently awaiting their turn for gaining a hearing.