superb dignity, declined to descend from my carriage while the
post-horses were being harnessed, a levee of respectful flunkeys would
have awaited my orders. I have no doubt but there must be something very
intoxicating in all this homage. The smoke of the hecatombs must have
affected Jove as a sort of chloroform, or else he would never have sat
there sniffing them for centuries. Are you ever destined to experience
these sensations, Potts? Is there a time coming when anxious ears will
strain to catch your words, and eyes watch eagerly for your slightest
gestures? If such an era should ever come, it will be a great one for
the masses of mankind, and an evil one for snobbery. Such a lesson as I
will read the world on humility in high places, such an example will I
give of one elevated, but uncorrupted by fortune."

"Let the carriage come to the door," said I, closing my eyes, as I sunk
into my chair in revery. "Tell my people to prepare the entire of the
'Hotel de Belle Vue' for my arrival, and my own cook to preside in the
kitchen."

"Is this to go by the omnibus?" said the waiter, suddenly, on entering
my room in haste. He pointed to my humble knapsack.

"Yes," said I, in deep confusion,--"yes, that's my luggage,--at least,
all that I have here at this moment. Where is the bill? Very moderate,
indeed," muttered I, in a tone of approval. "I will take care to
recommend your house; attendance prompt, and the wines excellent."

"Monsieur is complimentary," said the fellow, with a grin; "he only
experimented upon a 'small Beaune' at one-twenty the bottle."

I scowled at him, and he shrank again.

"And this _objet_ is also monsieur's," said he, taking up a small white
canvas bag which was enclosed in my railroad wrapper.

"What is it?" cried I, taking it up. I almost fell back as I saw that
it was one of the despatch-bags of the Foreign Office, which in my hasty
departure from the Dover train I had accidentally carried off with me.
There it was, addressed to "Sir Shalley Doubleton, H.M.'s Envoy and
Minister at Hesse-Kalbbratonstadt, by the Hon. Grey Buller, Attache,"
&c.

Here was not alone what might be construed into a theft, but what it was
well possible, might comprise one of the gravest offences against the
law: it might be high treason itself! Who would ever credit my story,
coupled as it was with the fact of my secret escape from the carriage;
my precipitate entrance into the first place I could find, not to s