ed to a black, Cecily, seduced by a man of most depraved morals,
committed her first fault. It would seem as though the natural
perversity of this abandoned woman, having till then slumbered, was
suddenly awakened, and developed itself with fearful energy. You know
the rest, and all the scandal of the adventures that followed. After
having been two years a wife, David, whose confidence in her was only
equalled by his love, learned the full extent of her infamy,--a
thunderbolt aroused him from his blind security."

"They say he tried to kill his wife."

"Yes; but, through the interference of monseigneur, he consented to
allow her to be immured for life in a prison, and it is thence that
monseigneur now seeks to have her released,--to your great astonishment,
as well as mine, my dear baron. But it is growing late, and his royal
highness is anxious that your courier should start for Gerolstein with
as little delay as possible."

"In two hours' time he shall be on the road. So now, my dear Murphy,
farewell till the evening."

"Till the evening, adieu."

"Have you, then, forgotten that there is a grand ball at the ----
Embassy, and that his royal highness will be present?"

"True. I have always forgotten that, since the absence of Colonel Verner
and the Count d'Harneim, I have the honour to fulfil the functions of
chamberlain and aide-de-camp."

"Ah, apropos of the count and the colonel, when may we expect their
return? Will they have soon completed their respective missions?"

"You know that monseigneur will keep them away as long as possible,
that he may enjoy more solitude and liberty. As to the errand on which
his royal highness has employed each of them, as an ostensible motive
for getting rid of them in a quiet way,--sending one to Avignon and the
other to Strasbourg,--I will tell you all about it some day, when we are
both in a dull mood; for I will defy the most hypochondriacal person in
existence not to burst with laughter at the narrative, as well as with
certain passages in the despatches of these worthy gentlemen, who have
assumed their pretended missions with so serious an air."

"To tell the truth, I have never clearly understood why his royal
highness attached the colonel and the count to his private person."

"Why, my dear fellow, is not Colonel Verner the accurate type of
military perfection? Is there, in the whole Germanic confederation, a
more elegant figure, more flourishing and splendid mousta