my had no further inheritance to look forward
to. Others, again, spoke of his great successes on the turf, and hinted,
in an undertone, dark stories of training-grounds, and jockeys bribed by
him to make the horses against which he had betted largely lose; but by
far the greater number of the crowd by which Saint-Remy was surrounded
was content to eat his dinners, and occasionally to win his rouleaux,
without troubling themselves with conjectures as to how the one was
provided, and where the other came from.

By birth and education he was fully entitled to the rank he occupied in
the fashionable world; he was lively, witty, brave, a most amusing
companion, obliging and complaisant to the wishes of others; he gave
first-rate bachelor dinners, and afterwards took every bet that was
offered him. What more was required to secure his popularity? He was an
universal favourite with the fair sex, and could boast the most unvaried
success in all his love affairs; he was young, handsome, gallant, and
unsparingly munificent upon all occasions where opportunities occurred
of marking his devotion towards the high-bred females with whom he
associated in the _grande monde_; in a word, thanks to the general
infatuation he excited, the air of mystery thrown over the source of the
Pactolus from which he derived his golden supplies rather embellished
him with a certain mysterious charm, which seemed but to add to his
attractions. Sometimes it would be said, with a careless smile, "What a
fellow that Saint-Remy is: he must have discovered the philosopher's
stone to be able to go the pace he does." And when it was known that he
had caused himself to be attached to the legation of France to the court
of Gerolstein, there were not wanting voices to assert that it was a
"devilish good way of making an honourable retreat." Such was M. de
Saint-Remy.

"Allow me," said the Count de ----, presenting M. de Saint-Remy, "to
introduce to your royal highness the Viscount de Saint-Remy, attached to
the embassy of Gerolstein."

The viscount bowed profoundly, saying:

"May I trust your royal highness will deign to pardon my impatience in
requesting the honour of this introduction during the present evening? I
am, perhaps, unduly hasty in my wishes to secure a gratification I have
so long aspired to."

"It will give me much pleasure, my lord, to welcome you to Gerolstein.
Do you propose going thither immediately?"

"Your royal highness being in Pari