ed, but at last consented to give the required pledge;
and though for a while it occurred to me that a frank avowal of my real
claim to be the person designated might best suit the object I had in
view, I suddenly bethought me that if Ysaffich once believed that he
himself was not the prime mover in the scheme, and that I was other than
a mere puppet in his hand, he was far more likely to mar than to make
our fortune. Intrigue and trick were the very essence of the man's
nature; and it was enough that the truthful entered into anything to
destroy its whole value or interest in his eyes. That this plot had long
been lying in his mind, I had but to remember the night in the garden at
Hamburg to be convinced of, and since that time he had never ceased to
ruminate upon it. Indeed, he now told me that it constantly occurred to
him to fancy that this piece of success was to be a crowning recompense
for a long life of reverses and failures.

How gladly did my thoughts turn from him and all his crafty counsels to
think of that true friend, poor Raper, and my dear, dear mother, as
I used to call her, who had, in the midst of their own hard trials,
devoted their best energies to my cause. It is not necessary to say that
Raper was the faithful clerk, and Polly the unknown lady who had given
the impulse to this search. The papers, of which Ysaffich showed me
several, were all in the handwriting of one or other of them; a few of
my father's own letters were also in one packet, and though referring to
matters far remote from this object, had an indescribable interest for
me.

"Seven years ago," said the Count, "this estate was in the possession
of a certain Mr. Curtis, who claimed to be the next of kin of the
late owner, and who, I believe, was so, in the failure of this youth's
legitimacy. This is now our great fact, since we have already found the
individual. Eh, Gervois?" said he, laughing. "Our man is here, and from
this hour forth your name is--let me see what it is--ay, here we have
it: Jasper Carew, son of Walter Carew and Josephine de Courtois, his
wife."

"Jasper Carew am I from this day, then, and never to be called by any
other name," said I.

"Ay, but you must have your lesson perfect," said he; "you must not
forget the name of your parents."

"Never fear," said I; "Walter Carew and Josephine de Courtois are easily
remembered."

"All correct," said he, well pleased at my accuracy. "Now, as to family
history, this