was, that the occult nature of my
Mission prevented me from loudly proclaiming my Honesty in order to
vindicate it against all comers, and glued my Sword to its Scabbard,
whence it would otherwise furiously have leapt to avenge the merest
Slight put upon me.

His Eminence the Cardinal de ---- was pleased to equip me for my Journey
in the most munificent Manner. First he directed me to procure a
plentiful stock of Clothes both for travelling and for gala Occasions,
not forgetting a couple of good serviceable Rapiers, as well as a
Walking-sword, a Dress-foil, and a Hanger, with a pair of Holster
Pistols, and two smaller ones of Steel in case of Emergencies. Also, by
his advice, within the lining of my Coat, by the nape of my Neck, just
where the bag of my Wig hung, I secreted a neat little Poniard or
Dagger. In a small Emerald Ring, of which he made me a Present, was
compactly stowed a quantity of very subtle and potent Poison, sufficient
to kill Two Men. "One never knows what may happen, dear Captain," says
his Eminence to me, with his unctuous Smile. "Your Profession is one of
sudden Risks, leading sometimes to prospects of painful Inconvenience.
If you are brought to such a pass that all your Ingenuity will not
enable you to extricate yourself from it, and if you have any rational
Objection, say, to being Burnt Alive, or Broken on the Wheel, 'tis
always as well to have the means at hand of executing oneself with
genteel Tranquillity. Such means you will always carry with you on your
Little Finger; and I can see, by the circumference of the Ring, that
'tis only by Sawing off that it can be got from off your Digit. Poison
yourself then, _mio caro_, if you see no other way of getting out of the
Scrape; but pray remember this; That he who has poison about him, and
only enough for one, is an Ass. _Always carry enough for Two._ The
immersion of that little finger in a Glass of Wine, and the pressure of
a little Spring, would make Hercules so much cold chicken in a Moment.
There are times, dear Captain, when you may have to save Half your
Potion to kill yourself, but when you may safely lay out the other Half
with the view of killing somebody else." A mighty pleasant Way had his
Eminence with him; and his conversation was a kind of Borgia Brocade
shot with Machiavelism.

My Despatches and other Secret Documents I was to carry neatly folded
and moulded within a Ball of Wax not much larger than a Pill. This again
was put into