There was much history attached to the little golden
house; more, perhaps, than to any other restaurant in the world. From
its doors Rigolboche, in the costume of Mother Eve, started for her run
across the road to the Anglais. At the table by one of the windows
looking out on to the boulevard Nestor Roqueplan, Fould, Salamanca, and
Delahante used always to dine. Upstairs in "Le Grand 6," which was to
the Maison d'Or what "Le Grand 16" is to the Anglais, Salamanca, who
drew a vast revenue from a Spanish banking-house, used to give
extraordinary suppers at which the lights of the _demi-monde_ of that
day, Cora Pearl, Anna Deslions, Deveria, and others used to be present.
The amusement of the Spaniard used to be to spill the wax from a candle
over the dresses, and then to pay royally for the damage. One evening he
asked one of the MM. Verdier whether a very big bill would be presented
to him if he burned the whole house down, and on being told that it was
only a matter of two or three million francs he would have set light to
the curtains if M. Verdier had not interfered to prevent him. The "beau
Demidoff," the duelling Baron Espeleta, Princes Galitzin and Murat,
Tolstoy, and the Duc de Rivoli gave their parties in the "Grand 6"; and
down the narrow, steep flight of steps which led into the side street
the Duke of Hamilton fell and broke his neck.
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