purpose to do? A few thousand livres will not go far."

"I do not know. Anything which will help us to live."

"Anything? You may teach French like De Laisne, or fencing like Du
Vallon, or dancing like the Marquis de Beau Castel. I offered him a
clerkship."

"Offer me one," said De Courval. "I write a good hand. I speak and write
English. I can learn, and I will."

Wynne took stock, as he would have said, of the rather serious face, of
the eyes of gray which met his look, of a certain eagerness in the young
man's prompt seizure of a novel opportunity.

"Can you serve under a plain man like my head clerk, run errands, obey
without question--in a word, accept a master?"

"I have had two bitter ones, sir, poverty and misfortune."

"Can you come at eight thirty, sweep out the office, make the fires at
need in winter, with an hour off, at noon, and work till six? Such is
our way here."

The young man flushed. "Is that required?"

"I did it for a year, Vicomte, and used the sword for five years, and
came back to prosper."

De Courval smiled. "I accept, sir; we have never been rich, and I ought
to say that we are not of the greater noblesse. When our fortunes fell
away, I worked with our peasants in the field. I have no false pride,
and my sword is in a box in Mrs. Swanwick's attic. I fancy, sir, that I
shall have no use for it here. Why gentlemen should prefer to teach
French or dancing to good steady work I cannot understand."

"Nor I," said Wynne, beginning to like this grave and decisive young
noble. "Think it over," he said.

"I have done so."

"Very good. You will receive thirty dollars a month--to be increased, I
trust. When will you come?"

"To-morrow--at eight and a half, you said."

"Yes; but to-morrow a little earlier. The junior clerk you replace will
tell you what you are to do, and for the rest Mr. Potts will give you
your orders. A word more: you had better drop your title and be plain
Mr. de Courval. When, as will chance, you go among our friends, it would
be an affectation. Well, then, to-morrow; but,--and you will pardon
me,--to-day we are two gentlemen, equals; to-morrow, here at least, you
are a simple clerk among exact and industrious people, and I the master.
Let us be clear as to this. That is all."

"I think I understand. And now may I ask how I may find the French
minister? There is a letter my mother would send to her cousin, and I am
at a loss, for I fear there are no mails I can