ne or two generations of gentility
to it!--and he knew also that he had laid his finger on one knot in
the net. Then Louvois spoke:

"It is impossible that such can be the case. And accusations against
persons who have no existence will not save you. You have failed in
your duty. Is this all the explanation you have to offer me?"

"It is all I have to offer you, monsieur. If it is not sufficient, I
must address myself to the head of the army--to the king himself."

"I am afraid you will have little opportunity." Then turning like a
tiger toward him, he said: "Your case has been considered during your
procrastination; your easily made journey by extremely short and
comfortable stages. Monsieur St. Georges, you are no longer in the
army. The king has no further need of your valuable services."

"What! Dismissed without appeal--without----"

"Your appeal is heard and disapproved of--by me. Had it been made
differently--your explanation couched in more respectful terms, had
carried with it more conviction to my mind--this," and he handed him a
paper, "would have been destroyed instead of being given to you. As it
is, read it, and act on it. Otherwise the results will be unfortunate.
Observe also the signatures to it. They are neither those of 'low-born
clerks' nor 'ignoble menials';" and he stepped back to the fire and
stood regarding his victim.

Certainly one signature came not under the category of the above
terms, it being that of Louis himself; the other was that of Louvois,
and, perhaps, was open to cavil. But St. Georges was immersed in the
document itself: beyond the (to him) fatal signature of the king, the
other was of scant importance for the moment.

The paper ran as follows:

"MONSIEUR ST. GEORGES: Being extremely displeased with you
for the manner in which you have tarried on your road from
Pontarlier to Paris and have failed in the secret mission on
which I employed you--namely, to bring me (without more
delay than such which might by _force majeure_ arrive)
messages from two of my subjects--I write you this to say,
first, you are no longer an officer in my regiment of the
Chevaux-Legers of Nivernosi; secondly, you are at once to
quit my kingdom of France and the dependencies thereof,
wheresoever situated. In which, desiring that you fail not
at once to obey my second behest, I pray that God will have
you, Monsieur St. Georges, in his holy