Just as they shook hands at parting, the good old general, with a smile,
said to him, 'I believe I had better not stir in the matter of Benson's
commission till I hear more from you. My harangue, in favour of the
military profession, will, I fancy, prove like most other harangues, EN
PURE PERTE.'

CHAPTER XVI

In what words of polite circumlocution, or of cautious diplomacy, shall
we say, or hint, that the deceased ambassador's papers were found in
shameful disorder. His excellency's executor, Sir James Brooke, however,
was indefatigable in his researches. He and Lord Colambre spent two
whole days in looking over portfolios of letters and memorials, and
manifestoes, and bundles of paper of the most heterogeneous sorts; some
of them without any docket or direction to lead to a knowledge of their
contents; others written upon in such a manner as to give an erroneous
notion of their nature; so that it was necessary to untie every paper
separately. At last, when they had opened, as they thought, every paper,
and, wearied and in despair, were just on the point of giving up the
search, Lord Colambre spied a bundle of old newspapers at the bottom of
a trunk.

'They are only old Vienna Gazettes; I looked at them,' said Sir James.

Lord Colambre, upon this assurance, was going to throw them into the
trunk again; but observing that the bundle had not been untied, he
opened it, and within-side of the newspapers he found a rough copy of
the ambassador's journal, and with it the packet, directed to Ralph
Reynolds sen., Esq., Old Court, Suffolk, per favour of his excellency,
Earl --, a note on the cover, signed O'Halloran, stating when received
by him, and the date of the day when delivered to the ambassador--seals
unbroken. Our hero was in such a transport of joy at the sight of this
packet, and his friend Sir James Brooke so full of his congratulations,
that they forgot to curse the ambassador's carelessness, which had been
the cause of so much evil.

The next thing to be done was to deliver the packet to Ralph Reynolds,
Old Court, Suffolk. But when Lord Colambre arrived at Old Court,
Suffolk, he found all the gates locked, and no admittance to be had. At
last an old woman came out of the porter's lodge, who said Mr. Reynolds
was not there, and she could not say where he was. After our hero had
opened her heart by the present of half a guinea, she explained, that
she 'could not JUSTLY say where he was, because that he n