wounded:
a sabre cut received in defending the Prince from an attack of
Arab horsemen had severed the muscles of my right arm; and although
encouraged to believe that I should yet recover its use, I was for the
time, at least, totally disabled, and as incompetent to wield a sword
as a pen. A very flattering mention of me in "general orders," my name
recorded in a despatch, and the ribbon of the "Legion," well rewarded me
for these mishaps; and now, as a season of peace intervened, I was about
to return to France with the rank of "Chef d'Escadron" and the fame of
a distinguished officer. As the Prince, my master, was to make a tour
in the provinces before his return to Paris, permission was given me to
visit Italy, whither the physician advised me to repair to recruit my
strength, before adventuring upon the trials of a more northern climate.
The "Duc" overwhelmed me with kind protestations at parting, and gave me
a letter to the French Minister at Naples, especially commending me to
his friendship, and speaking of my services in terms that my modesty
cannot permit me to repeat. Thus was Fortune once more my friend; and
could I have but obliterated all memory of the past, and of those fatal
riches,--the brief enjoyment of which had given an impulse to all my
desires,--I might now have been well contented. High character as a
soldier, a certain rank in the service, and the friendship of a Royal
Prince, were not trifling advantages to one who had often sued destiny
with success, even "_in forma pauperis_;" still, the "great game" I
should have played, as the man of large fortune, was never out of my
thoughts, and in secret I resolved to return to Mexico, and, as the
phrase has it, "look after my affairs."

This determination grew more fixed the longer I considered it; and
here I may remark that the document to which the King had appended his
signature and approval was a statement of my claims on Spain, drawn up
by myself,--one of those hundred representations which I made, in idle
hours, to while away time and amuse hope. If I was well aware that the
signature was obtained by a mere accident, and without knowledge of the
contents, I was not deterred from speculating as to what useful purpose
it might be employed,--scruples of conscience being of all things in the
world those I best knew how to dispose of.

On reaching Naples I discovered that the Envoy to whom my letter was
addressed had just been recalled, and in his pla