hey crossed High Street; the son amused at the
market stands for fruit, fish, and "garden truck, too," the clerk said,
with blacks crying, "Calamus! sweet calamus!" and "Pepper pot, smoking
hot!" or "Hominy! samp! grits! hominy!" Then, of a sudden, as they
paused on the farther corner, madam cried out, "_Mon Dieu!_" and her son
a half-suppressed "_Sacre!_" A heavy landau coming down Second Street
bumped heavily into a deep rut and there was a liberal splash of muddy
water across madam's dark gown and the young man's clothes. In an
instant the owner of the landau had alighted, hat in hand, a middle-aged
man in velvet coat and knee-breeches.

"Madam, I beg a thousand pardons."

"My mother does not speak English, sir. These things happen. It is they
who made the street who should apologize. It is of small moment."

"I thank you for so complete an excuse, sir. You surely cannot be
French. Permit me,"--and he turned to the woman, "_mille pardons_," and
went on in fairly fluent French to say how much he regretted, and would
not madam accept his landau and drive home? She thanked him, but
declined the offer in a voice which had a charm for all who heard it. He
bowed low, not urging his offer, and said, "I am Mr. William Bingham. I
trust to have the pleasure of meeting madam again and, too, this young
gentleman, whose neat excuse for me would betray him if his perfect
French did not. Can I further serve you?"

"No, sir," said De Courval, "except to tell me what inn near by might
suit us. We are but just now landed. My guide seems in doubt. I should
like one close at hand. My mother is, I fear, very tired."

"I think,"--and he turned to the clerk,--"yes, St. Tammany would serve.
It is clean and well kept and near by." He was about to add, "Use my
name," but, concluding not to do so, added: "It is at the corner of
Chancery Lane. This young man will know." Then, with a further word of
courtesy, he drove away, while madam stood for a moment sadly
contemplating the additions to her toilet.

Mr. Bingham, senator for Pennsylvania, reflected with mild curiosity on
the two people he had annoyed, and then murmured: "I was stupid. That is
where the Federal Club meets and the English go. They will never take
those poor French with their baggage in a barrow."

He had at least the outward manners of a day when there was leisure to
be courteous, and, feeling pleased with himself, soon forgot the people
he had unluckily inconvenienced.