they had been made for some one else, was a weak-looking, handsome
man, continually sauntering about, and I almost guessed an object of
suspicion to some of the gentlemen present, which, perhaps, drove him on
the companionship of his follower, who was dressed something in the
style of an ambassador's chasseur; yet it was not a chasseur's dress
after all; it was something more thoroughly old-world; boots half way up
his ridiculously small legs, which clattered as he walked along, as if
they were too large for his little feet; and a great quantity of grey
fur, as trimming to coat, court-mantle, boots, cap--everything. You know
the way in which certain countenances remind you perpetually of some
animal, be it bird or beast! Well, this chasseur (as I will call him
for want of a better name) was exceedingly like the great Tom-cat that
you have seen so often in my chambers, and laughed at almost as often
for his uncanny gravity of demeanour. Grey whiskers has my Tom--grey
whiskers had the chasseur: grey hair overshadows the upper lip of my
Tom--grey mustachios hid that of the chasseur. The pupils of Tom's eyes
dilate and contract as I had thought cats' pupils only could do, until
I saw those of the chasseur. To be sure, canny as Tom is, the chasseur
had the advantage in the more intelligent expression. He seemed to have
obtained most complete sway over his master or patron, whose looks he
watched, and whose steps he followed, with a kind of distrustful
interest that puzzled me greatly.

There were several other groups in the more distant part of the saloon,
all of the stately old school, all grand and noble, I conjectured from
their bearing. They seemed perfectly well acquainted with each other,
as if they were in the habit of meeting. But I was interrupted in my
observations by the tiny little gentleman on the opposite side of the
room coming across to take a place beside me. It is no difficult matter
to a Frenchman to slide into conversation, and so gracefully did my
pigmy friend keep up the character of the nation, that we were almost
confidential before ten minutes had elapsed.

Now I was quite aware that the welcome which all had extended to me,
from the porter up to the vivacious lady and meek lord of the castle,
was intended for some other person. But it required either a degree
of moral courage, of which I cannot boast, or the self-reliance and
conversational powers of a bolder and cleverer man than I, to undeceive
p