on occasions,
when he saw this outbreak of passion on the Prince's part, became, as my
informant has described to me, as much affected as his master. The
old man from being cold and high, suddenly fell, as it were, into
the whimpering querulousness of extreme old age. He lost all sense of
dignity; he went down on his knees, and broke out into all sorts of wild
incoherent attempts at consolation; so much so, that Weissenborn said he
could not bear to look at the scene, and actually turned away from the
contemplation of it.

'But, from what followed in a few days, we may guess the results of the
long interview. The Prince, when he came away from the conversation with
his old servant, forgot his fatal box of papers and sent the page back
for them. The General was on his knees praying in the room when the
young man entered, and only stirred and looked wildly round as the other
removed the packet. The Prince rode away to his hunting-lodge at three
leagues from X----, and three days after that Maxime de Magny died in
prison; having made a confession that he was engaged in an attempt to
rob the Jew, and that he had made away with himself, ashamed of his
dishonour.

'But it is not known that it was the General himself who took his
grandson poison: it was said even that he shot him in the prison. This,
however, was not the case. General de Magny carried his grandson the
draught which was to carry him out of the world; represented to the
wretched youth that his fate was inevitable; that it would be public and
disgraceful unless he chose to anticipate the punishment, and so left
him. But IT WAS NOT OF HIS OWN ACCORD, and not until he had used EVERY
means of escape, as you shall hear, that the unfortunate being's life
was brought to an end.

'As for General de Magny, he quite fell into imbecility a short time
after his grandson's death, and my honoured Duke's demise. After his
Highness the Prince married the Princess Mary of F----, as they were
walking in the English park together they once met old Magny riding in
the sun in the easy chair, in which he was carried commonly abroad
after his paralytic fits. "This is my wife, Magny," said the Prince
affectionately, taking the veteran's hand; and he added, turning to his
Princess, "General de Magny saved my life during the Seven Years' War."

'"What, you've taken her back again?" said the old man. "I wish you'd
send me back my poor Maxime." He had quite forgotten the death of the