its being garbled and misstated. Hour after
hour rolled past--my wandering thoughts took no note of time--and the
deep-tolled bell of the Polytechnique struck eight before I was aware
the day was nearly over. Nine was the hour mentioned on my card of
invitation: it flashed suddenly on me. What was to be done? I had no
uniform save that of the ecole. Such a costume in such a place would,
I feared, be considered too ridiculous; yet to absent myself altogether
was impossible. Never was I in such a dilemma. All my endeavors to
rescue myself were fruitless; and at last, worn out with the conflict
of my doubts and fears, I stepped into the fiacre and set out for the
Palace.

CHAPTER XXIV. THE PAVILLON DE FLORE.

As my humble carriage slackened its pace to a walk on approaching the
Place Carousel, I for the first time perceived that the open space
around was thronged with equipages, moving slowly along in line towards
the gate of the Palace. A picket of dragoons was drawn up at the great
archway, and mounted gendarmes rode up and down to preserve order in the
crowd. Before me stretched the long facade of the Tuileries, now lighted
up in its entire extent; the rich hangings and costly furniture could be
seen even where I was.

What a sinking sense of shame overwhelmed me as I thought of my
humble position amid that mighty concourse of all that was great and
illustrious in France! and how I shrunk within myself as I thought of
the poor scholar of the Polytechnique--for such my dress, proclaimed
me--mixing with the most distinguished diplomatists and generals of
Europe! The rebuke I had met with from my colonel in the morning
was still fresh in my recollection, and I dreaded something like a
repetition of it.

"Oh, why had I not known that this was a grand reception?" was
the ever-rising thought of my mind. My card of invitation said a
soiree,--even that I might have dared: but here was a regular levee!
Already I was near enough to hear the names announced at the foot of the
grand staircase, where ambassadors, senators, ministers of state, and
officers of the highest rank succeeded each other in quick succession.
My carriage stood now next but two. I was near enough to see the last
arrival hand his card to the huissier in waiting, and hear his title
called out, "Le Ministre de la Guerre," when the person in the carriage
before me cried to his coachman, "To the left,--the Pa villon de
Flore;" and at the same moment the c