in my head that
you said something to that purport."

"It won't do, Abbe! it won't do," said Norwood, in a low whisper. "We,
who have graduated at the 'Red House' are just as wide awake as you of
Louvain and St. Omer."

D'Esmonde looked at him with an expression of blank astonishment, and
seemed as if he had not the most vague suspicion as to what the sarcasm
referred.

"When can I have half an hour with you, Morlache?" said the Viscount

"Whenever it suits you, my Lord. What say you to to-morrow morning at
eleven?"

"No, no! let it be later; I must have a ten hours' sleep after all this
fatigue, and the sooner I begin the better."

"Where do you put up, my Lord,--at the Hotel de l'Arno?" asked the Abbe.

"No; I wish we were there with all my heart; but, to do us honor, they
have given us quarters at the 'Crocetto,' that dreary asylum for stray
archdukes and vagabond grand-duchesses, in the farthest end of the city.
We are surrounded with chamberlains, aides-de-camp, and guards of honor.
The only thing they have forgotten is a cook. So I 'll come and dine
here to-morrow."

"You do me great honor, my Lord. I 'm sure the Abbe D'Esmonde will favor
us with his company also."

"If it be possible, I will," said the Abbe. "Nothing but necessity would
make me relinquish so agreeable a prospect."

"Well, till our next meeting," said the Viscount, yawning, as he put
on his hat "It's too late to expect Midchekoff here to-night, and so
good-bye. The streets are clear by this time, I trust."

"A shrewd fellow, too," said Morlache, looking after him.

"No, Morlache, not a bit of it!" said D'Esmonde. "Such intellects bear
about the same proportion to really clever men as a good swordsman does
to a first-rate operator in surgery. They handle a coarse weapon, and
they deal with coarse antagonists. Employ them in a subtle negotiation
or a knotty problem, and you might as well ask a sergeant of the Blues
to take up the femoral artery. Did you not remark awhile ago that, for
the sake of a sneer, he actually betrayed a secret about Sir Stafford
Onslow's will?"

"And you believe all that to be true?"

"Of course I do. The only question is whether the Irish property, which,
if I remember aright, was settled on Lady Hester at her marriage, can
be fettered by any of these conditions? That alone amounts to some
thousands a year, and would be a most grateful accession to those
much-despised brethren his Lordship alluded to."