me
theory of yours has some foundation. Well pick him up one of these days,
and I'll introduce you. But now, Jack, I have a piece of news for you.
What do you think of it, my lad?--Lady Charlotte Hinton 's at Paris.'

'My mother here? Is it possible?'

'Yes. Her ladyship resides No. 4 Place Vendome, opposite the Hotel de
Londres. There's accuracy for you.'

'And who is with her? My father?'

'No. The General is expected in a few days. Lady Julia, I believe, is
her only companion.'

There was a kind of reserve suddenly in O'Grady's manner as he mentioned
this name, which made us both pause for a few seconds. At length he
broke the awkwardness of the silence by saying, in his usual laughing
way--

'I contrived to pick up all the gossip of Paris in half an hour.
The town is full of English--and such English too! The Cossacks are
civilised people, of quiet, retiring habits, compared to them. I verily
believe the French are more frightened by our conviviality than
ever they were by the bayonets of the Allies. I'm dying to hear your
lady-mother's account of everything here.'

'What say you, then, if you come along with me? I 'm becoming very
impatient to see my people once more. Julia will, I 'm certain, be very
amusing.'

'Ah, and I have a debt of gratitude in that quarter,' said O'Grady
hesitatingly. 'Lady Julia was so very kind as to extend her protection
to that old villain Corny. I cannot for the life of me understand how
she endured him.'

'As to that,' said I, 'Julia has a taste for character; and not even the
Chevalier Delany's eccentricity would pain her. So let's forward.'

'Did I tell you that De Vere is here?' said O'Grady.

'No; not with my friends, I trust?'

'On the contrary, I ascertained that he does not visit at Lady
Charlotte's. He is attached to Lord Cathcart's embassy; he's very little
in society, and rarely to be seen but at the salon, where he plays
tremendously high, loses every night, but reappears each day with a
replenished pocket. But I intend to know the secret of all this, and of
many other matters, ere long. So now let us proceed.'

CHAPTER LVII. PARIS IN 1814

If the strange medley of every nation and costume which we beheld on
entering Paris surprised us, how much greater was our astonishment when,
having finished a hurried breakfast, we issued forth into the crowded
streets! Here were assembled, among the soldiers of every country,
visitors from all parts of Europe, a