e of my friends, and actually received their congratulations.

"It so fell out, however, that he did not come to breakfast, nor dinner
either,--there's no knowing that man. But what think you? He walked in
this evening, just as we were preparing to act a proverb. Such a scene
as it was, to be sure. No one expected him. Most of us were dressed up
in costumes of one kind or other; and I, _ma foi!_--ridiculous enough, I
suppose,--I was costumed like a galley slave. He stood for a second or
two at the door with his arms folded, and his stern eyes wandering
over the whole room. There was not one amongst us would not have wished
himself many a mile away; even my aunt herself seemed quite confused,
and blushed, and grew pale, and blushed again.

"'Ha!' cried he at last, in his dry, short voice. 'Pardon, ladies and
gentlemen, I have made a mistake; I believed I was in the Palace of the
Tuileries, and I find this is the Porte St. Martin.'

"'Fi donc, Bonaparte!' cried my aunt, blushing, while with one of her
sweetest-smiles she endeavored to bring him back to good-humor. 'See how
you have frightened Madame de Narbonne--she 'll never be able to play
the miller's wife; and Marie here,--her tears will wash away all her
rouge.'

"'And this amiable gentleman, what is to become of him?' said he,
interrupting her, while he laid his hand on my shoulder, and I stood
trembling like a culprit beside him.

"'Ah, there! that 's Tascher,' said she, laughingly; and as if happy to
escape from her greater embarrassment by any means, she continued: 'Your
question comes, indeed, quite a propos. I have a request to make in his
favor: there's a vacancy in the huitieme, I think it is,--eh, Edward?'
(I nodded slightly, for if my life depended on it, I could not have
uttered a word.) 'Now, I am sure he 's been sous-lieutenant long enough;
and in the infantry too.'

"'Can you ride well, sir?' said he, turning to me with a half frown on
his pale face.

"'Yes, General,' replied I, with my heart almost choking me as I spoke.

"'Well, sir, you shall be employed, and in a service worthy your present
tastes, if I may judge from your costume. A detachment of prisoners is
to march to-morrow from this for the Bagne de Brest; hold yourself in
readiness to accompany the military escort. Go, sir, and report yourself
to your colonel.' He waved his hand when he had finished; and how I left
the room, reached the street, and found myself here, hang me if I can