usurped
the flitting thoughts and wandering fancies of before.

'They're moving towards the supper-room,' said O'Grady, who for some
time past had talked away, without my paying any attention to what he
said.

As we descended the stairs, I heard my mother's carriage announced, and
could just see her and my cousin handed to it by some Austrian officers
as we entered the supper-room.

The incessant crash and din of the enormous banquet-ing-room, its crowd
and heat, its gorgeous table-equipage and splendid guests, were scarce
noticed by me as I followed O'Grady half mechanically towards the end of
the room. For some time I remained stupidly unconscious of all around;
and it was only after a very considerable time that I descried that
immediately in front of where we stood Mrs. Paul Rooney was seated--the
Emperor of Russia on her right, the King of Prussia on her left hand;
Swartzenburg, Blucher, Talleyrand, Nesselrode, and many others equally
distinguished occupying places along the board. Her jocund laugh and
merry voice, indeed, first attracted my attention.

'By Jove! she does it admirably,' said O'Grady, who for full five
minutes had been most critically employed scrutinising Mrs. Paul's
manner. 'Do you remark the tact with which she graduates her attentions
to the emperor and the king? And look at the hauteur of her bearing to
old Blucher! But, hush! what's coming?'

A kind of suppressed murmur buzzed along the crowded room, which,
subsiding into a dead silence, the Emperor Alexander rose, and
addressing the guests in a few but well-chosen words in English,
informed them he had received permission from their amiable and
captivating hostess to propose a toast, and he took the opportunity with
unqualified delight to give the health of 'the Prince Regent.' A perfect
thunder of applause acknowledged this piece of gracious courtesy, and
a 'hip! hip! hurrah!' which astonished the foreigners, shook the very
roof. While the deafening shouts rose on every side, Mrs. Paul wrote a
line with her pencil hastily on her card, and turning round gave it to a
Cossack aide-de-camp of the emperor to deliver into Mr. Rooney's hands.
Either from the excitement of the moment or his imperfect acquaintance
with English, the unlucky Cossack turned for an explanation towards the
first British officer near him, who happened to be O'Grady.

'What does this mean?' said he in French.

'Ah,' said Phil, looking at it, 'this is intended for th