sonage I was addressing
had once more turned to Midchekoff, and was in deep conversation with
him, totally regardless of me and my explanation.

"'You have been wounded, my Lord?' said he, after a moment.

"'A mere scratch, sir,--a poke of a lance,' said I, smarting under the
cool indifference of his manner.

"'I hope you 're not too much fatigued to stop to supper,' said he; but
I arose at the instant, and pleading the excuse of exhaustion and want
of rest, begged to be permitted to retire; and here I am, not having
tasted anything since I left Padua, and not in the very blandest of
tempers, either, at the graciousness of my reception. As for Midchekoff,
he kept his seat as coolly as if he meant to pass his life there. I
hesitated for a second or two, expecting that he would join me; but
not a bit of it He smiled his little quiet smile, as much as to say,
'Good-night,' and so I left him."

"He is probably detained to give some particulars of the engagement,"
said D'Esmonde.

"How can he?--he was never in it; he was writing letters all day at
headquarters, and never came up till seven in the evening, when he rode
down with a smart groom after him, and gave the Duke of Savoy a sandwich
out of a silver case. That will be the only memorable fact he can retail
of the day's fortune."

"The cause looks well, however," said D'Esmonde, endeavoring to divert
his thoughts into a more agreeable direction.

"Tell me what is the cause, and I will answer you," said Norwood,
sternly. "So far as _I_ see, we are dividing the spoils before we have
hunted down the game."

"You surely have no doubt of the result, my Lord?" replied the other,
eagerly. "The Austrians must relinquish Italy."

"Then who is to take it,--that's the question? Is Lorn-bardy to become
Piedmont, or a Red Republic? or are your brethren of the slouched hat to
step in and portion out the land into snug nurseries for Franciscans
and Ursulines? Egad, I 'd as soon give it up to old Morlache yonder,
and make it a New Jerusalem to educate a young race of moneylenders and
usurers!"

"I wish we had even as much security for our loans," said Morlache,
smiling.

"I hear of nothing but money,----great loans here, immense sums raised
there," cried Norwood; "and yet what becomes of it? The army certainly
has seen none of it. Large arrears of pay are due; and as for us
who serve on the staff, we are actually supporting the very force we
command."

"We are told that