nothing
more nor less than a _cabinet de police_, where Fouche and his agents
are unravelling the intrigues of Paris, or weaving fresh ones for their
own objects.'

'Infamous system! But how comes it, Phil, that they have never
discovered their anomalous position?'

'What a question, Jack! Vulgar pretension is a triple shield that no eye
can pierce; and as you know the parties----'

'Know them! no, I never heard of them before.' 'What, Jack! Is your
memory so short-lived? And yet there was a pretty girl in the house who
might have rested longer in your memory.'

The announcement of Lady Charlotte and my cousin's names by the servant
at the foot of the stairs broke up our conference; and we had only time
to join our party as we fell into that closely-wedged phalanx that wound
its slow length up the spacious staircase. O'Grady's last words had
excited my curiosity to the highest pitch; but as he preceded me with my
mother on his arm, I was unable to ask for an explanation.

At last we reached the ante-chamber, from which a vista of salons
suddenly broke upon the view; and although anticipating much, I had
formed no conception whatever of the splendour of the scene before me.
More brilliant than noonday itself, the room was a blaze of wax-lights;
the ceilings of fretted gold and blue enamel glittered like a gorgeous
firmament; the walls were covered with pictures in costly frames of
Venetian taste. But the decorations, magnificent and princely as they
were, were as nothing to that splendid crowd of jewelled dames and
glittering nobles, of all that was distinguished in beauty, in rank, in
military glory, or in the great contest of political life. Here were
the greatest names of Europe--the kings and princes of the earth, the
leaders of mighty armies, the generals of a hundred battles; here was
the collective greatness of the world, all that can influence
mankind--hereditary rank, military power, stupendous intellect, beauty,
wealth--mixing in the vast vortex of fashionable dissipation, and
plunging into all the excesses of voluptuous pleasure. The band of the
Imperial Guard stationed near the staircase were playing with all the
delicious softness of their national instrument--the Russian horn--a
favourite mazurka of the emperor as we entered, and a partial silence
reigned among the hundred listeners.

O'Grady conveyed my mother through the crowd to a seat, where, having
placed my cousin beside her, he once more came