aised. Bets on the Dauphin, bets
on Roy: they were matched as on a racecourse. The Dauphin remembered
incidents of his residence in the Temple, with a beautiful juvenile
faintness: a conscientious angling for recollection, Wedderburn said.
Roy was requested to remember something, to drink and refresh his memory
infantine incidents were suggested. He fenced the treacherous host
during dinner with superb complacency.

The Dauphin was of an immoveable composure. He 'stated simple facts: he
was the Dauphin of France, providentially rescued from the Temple in the
days of the Terror.' For this deliverance, somewhat to the consternation
of the others, he offered up a short prayer of thanksgiving over his
plate. He had, he said, encountered incredulity. He had his proofs.
He who had never been on the soil of France since early boyhood, spoke
French with a pure accent: he had the physical and moral constitution
of the Family: owing to events attending his infant days, he was timid.
Jorian imitated him:--'I start at the opening of a door; I see dark
faces in my sleep: it is a dungeon; I am at the knees of my Unfortunate
Royal Father, with my Beautiful Mother.' His French was quaint, but not
absurd. He became loquacious, apostrophizing vacancy with uplifted hand
and eye. The unwonted invitation to the society of noblemen made him
conceive his Dauphinship to be on the high road to a recognition in
England, and he was persuaded to drink and exhibit proofs: which were
that he had the constitution of the Family, as aforesaid, in every
particular; that he was peculiarly marked with testificatory spots;
and that his mere aspect inspired all members and branch members of the
Family with awe and stupefaction. One of the latter hearing of him, had
appointed to meet him in a pastrycook's shop. He met him, and left the
place with a cloud on his brow, showing tokens of respectful sympathy.

Conceive a monomaniacal obese old English citizen, given to lift hand
and eye and address the cornices, claiming to be an Illustrious Boy,
and calling on a beautiful historic mother and unfortunate Royal sire to
attest it! No wonder the table was shaken with laughter. He appealed to
Tenby constantly, as to the one man he knew in the room. Tenby it was
who made the discovery of him somewhere in the City, where he earned
his livelihood either as a corn-merchant; or a stockbroker, or a
chronometer-maker, or a drysalter, and was always willing to gratify a
cu