e--where she belongs,--and, without jesting, my dear
Sir, you shall have the backing next year, two years hence--in
1853,--any time you like--of the men who make this administration,
and of the men behind this compromise. A majority of the House, an
even division of the Senate--Listen, my dear friend, this is not
idle talk, and these are no idle promises! I am serious. I speak
to you in no wise ill-advised. To tell you the truth, we are
frightened. She has stolen all our peace of mind, and stolen also
some of our thunder--some of our cast-off and unthundered thunder."

"In what way?"

"Oh, nothing. It is of very little consequence. It is a
bagatelle. All she proposes to do is to purchase all the slaves in
the United States--out of her own funds--and ship them out of
America."

"Great God!"

"Yes. We didn't dare it. She does. We didn't begin. She has
begun. And since it has begun, who knows what army of the
people--what _new party_--may fall in behind her? We want you to
forestall all that. We don't want you to head that new party. We
think you will do better to fall in with us, to accept the
compliment of a European mission--and to take this fair firebrand
with you. We are afraid to have her in Washington."

The other listened with a flicker of the eyelid, which showed his
interest, but feigned lightness in his speech.

"In matters of gallantry, my dear friend, why does Kentucky need a
substitute, or even an ally?"

"Kentucky, in the deference due to so great a man as yourself,
yields to New York! Will you have snuff, Sir?"

"I thank you, I think not. But tell me, what is it that New York
must do?"

"New York, my dear Sir, must transport, man-handle, murder,
wheedle, bowstring, drown, and permanently lose Josephine, Countess
St. Auban,--herself late back from Missouri, formerly of God knows
where. I promise you, this country is only a tinder box, waiting
for that sort of spark. To-morrow--but you remember, my dear
Horatio!"

"But between now and to-morrow is rather a brief period. We have
not yet invented means of traveling through the air. I could not
well carry off this fair lady by main strength. My own plans
unfortunately require some attention. And I think that, even were
the trifling difficulty of the lady's consent overcome, I could not
easily assume the role of savior of my country before the time of
the departure of the next ship for Europe--even granted my enemies,
the