the Regent's supper. "I must leave behind me the remembrance of a _bon
mot_, or I shall be forgotten."

And I was right. In that whirlpool, the capital of France, everything
sinks but wit: _that_ is always on the surface; and we must cling to it
with a firm grasp, if we would not go down to--"the deep oblivion."

CHAPTER X.

ROYAL EXERTIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE.

WHAT a singular scene was that private supper with the Regent of France
and his _roues_! The party consisted of twenty: nine gentlemen of the
court besides myself; four men of low rank and character, but admirable
buffoons; and six ladies, such ladies as the Duke loved best,--witty,
lively, sarcastic, and good for nothing.

De Chatran accosted me.

"Je suis ravi, mon cher Monsieur Devereux," said he, gravely, "to see
you in such excellent company: you must be a little surprised to find
yourself here!"

"Not at all! every scene is worth one visit. He, my good Monsieur
Chatran, who goes to the House of Correction once is a philosopher: he
who goes twice is a rogue!"

"Thank you, Count, what am I then? I have been _here_ twenty times."

"Why, I will answer you with a story. The soul of a Jesuit one night,
when its body was asleep, wandered down to the lower regions; Satan
caught it, and was about to consign it to some appropriate place;
the soul tried hard to excuse itself: you know what a cunning thing a
Jesuit's soul is! 'Monsieur Satan,' said the spirit; 'no king should
punish a traveller as he would a native. Upon my honour, I am merely
here _en voyageur_.' 'Go then,' said Satan, and the soul flew back to
its body. But the Jesuit died, and came to the lower regions a second
time. He was brought before his Satanic majesty, and made the same
excuse. 'No, no,' cried Beelzebub; 'once here is to be only _le diable
voyageur_; twice here, and you are _le diable tout de bon_.'"

"Ha! ha! ha!" said Chatran, laughing; "I then am the _diable tout de
bon_! 'tis well I _am no worse_; for we reckon the _roues_ a devilish
deal worse than the very worst of the devils,--but see, the Regent
approaches us."

And, leaving a very pretty and gay-looking lady, the Regent sauntered
towards us. It was in walking, by the by, that he lost all the grace
of his mien. I don't know, however, that one wishes a great man to be
graceful, so long as he's familiar.

"Aha, Monsieur Devereux!" said he, "we will give you some lessons in
cooking to-night; we shall show you