nts
of late."

"Be discreet, sir. Speak of what you know, and do not dare to insult--"
he paused, and then added, "an ancient follower of his sovereign."

His age and his fervor repressed any resentment the speech might have
suggested, and I only said,--

"You asked me for opinions, sir, and I gave you mine frankly. You must
not be displeased if they do not always chime with your own."

"Monsieur is perfectly right. His remark is a just one," said the other,
who now spoke for the first time.

"I think he is mistaken, though," replied the former. "I fancy that he
is led away by that vulgar cant which sees in the degradation of one
solitary individual the abasement of his whole class and order. By the
way, you knew that same Count de Gabriac?"

I bowed my assent.

"You may speak freely of him now he is past the consequences of either
our censure or our praise. You know, perhaps, that he completely
exonerated you from all share in his odious scheme, and at the same
time communicated certain particulars about yourself which suggested the
desire to see you here."

"Yes," said the other, with a faint but very pleasing smile. "We are
relatives, Monsieur Carew; and if all that I hear of you be true, I
shall not disown the relationship."

"You knew my dear mother, then," cried I, wild with the glad thought.

"Pardon me," said he, slowly, "I had not that honor. I have, however,
frequently heard of her beauty and her fascination; but I never saw
her."

The General here whispered a few words, to which the other replied
aloud,--

"Be it so, then. My friend here," resumed he, addressing me, "is of
opinion that your information and habits would well fit you for a task
which will be at once one of emolument and trust. The English minister
has already pointed you out as a suitable agent, and nothing but your
own concurrence is now needed."

I begged for a further explanation; and he briefly told me that the
Royalist party, not alone throughout France, but in different parts of
the Continent, where they had sought refuge, were distracted and broken
up for want of due intercourse with each other and with the head of
their party; that false intelligence and fictitious stories had been
circulated industriously to sow discord and disunion amongst them;
and that nothing but an actual, direct, and personal agency could
efficiently counteract this peril and restore confidence and stability
to the party. Many--some of them men