sank back exhausted, and quite hoarse with
all his roaring, I quietly offered him a bunch of grapes, which I had
bought at Tours. Their grateful coolness made the man my friend eternally,
but had I offered him a captain's biscuit at that moment I could not have
answered for the consequences. So much depends on judgment in the timing
of a gift!

On arriving at Bayonne, the first notable thing I saw was a gendarme, who
asked me for my passport. I had none. He looked grave, but I, young in
travel, pushed him aside cavalierly, and bade my servant, who had arrived
the day before, see to my luggage. The cocked hat followed me into the
inn, but bidding it be off, I walked into a private sitting-room, in which
a bed was a prominent article of furniture. I ordered for my breakfast
some broiled ham and eggs, and was informed that I could not have ham,
though in Bayonne. I should be served with chocolate and sugar-sticks,
pump-water, and milk-bread. While breakfast was preparing, the cocked hat
arrested me, and marched me off to the police-office.

"Your passport?" said the Inspector.

"My breakfast," said I.

"You are under arrest," said the Inspector.

Then I referred to the consul, with whom I had a sort of second-hand
acquaintance, and who offered to provide me with a passport; but his offer
was declined. I was conducted to the prefet. The prefet transferred me to
the Procureur du Roi, whom I unhappily disturbed when he was sitting down
to breakfast. I apologized for my unavoidable intrusion.

"Pray don't mention it," said he; "I take cold fish for breakfast, and
iced coffee;" so he sat down and listened to my tale, and said that I must
be detained.

"Impossible!" I cried. "I have sent on my money and baggage to Madrid."

"Many political agitators have slipped through Bayonne," replied the
procureur. "Write to Lord Hervey. When a passport comes for you from Paris
you can pass the frontier; not before."

Of course he said he was "desolated," as he bowed me out. I was at liberty
to reside at the hotel, under the lackeyship of two gendarmes, who waited
on me night and day. A crowd had gathered to witness my return from the
house of the procureur, and ladies thronged the balconies. Rumor had, in
fact, created me Conde de Montemolin!

Henceforth, until my passport came, I was peeped at through all manner of
doors by all manner of men, and encountered accidentally in passages by
all manner of women; one band hindered me