was just as Buonaparte said to Desaix at Marengo, 'Ride
through the centre,'--he never added how. A made man! I should think so!
The man has been made some years since, sir. Another bottle, waiter, and
mind that it be not shaken. Who was it--I can't remember--stopped a
Russian courier with despatches for Constantinople? Ay, to be sure, it
was Long Wellesley; he told me the story himself. It was a clumsy trick,
too; he upset his sledge in the snow, and made off with the bags, and
got great credit for the feat at home."

"The train will start in a quarter of an hour, sir," said the waiter.

"Not if I am not ready, my good fellow," said the Major,--"though now I
see nothing to detain me, and I will go."

Alone in his first-class, he had leisure to think over his plans. Much
depended on who might be the courier. He knew most of them well, and
speculated on the peculiar traits of this or that. "If it be Bromley,
he will have his own _caleche_; Airlie will be for the cheap thing, and
take the diligence; and Poynder will be on the look-out for some one to
join him, and pay half the post-horses and all the postilions. There
are half a dozen more of these fellows on this 'dodge,' but I defy
the craftiest of them to know me now;" and he took out a little
pocket-glass, and gazed complacently at his features. "Colonel Moore
Chamberlayne, A.D.C., on his way to Corfu, with despatches for the Lord
High Commissioner. A very soldierlike fellow, too," added he, arranging
his whiskers, "but, I shrewdly suspect, a bit of a Tartar. Yes,
that's the ticket," added he, with a smile at his image in the
glass,--"despatches of great importance for Storks at Corfu."

Arrived at St Jean, he learned that the mail train from France did not
arrive until 11.20, ample time for all his arrangements. He also learned
that the last English messenger had left his _caleche_ at Susa, and,
except one light carriage with room for only two, there was nothing on
that side of the mountain but the diligence. This conveyance he at once
secured, ordering the postilion to be in the saddle and ready to start,
if necessary, when the mail train came in. "It is just possible," said
he, "that the friend I am expecting may not arrive, in which case I
shall await the next train; but if he comes you must drive your best, my
man, for I shall want to catch the first train for Susa in the morning."
Saying this, he retired to his room, where he had many things to do,--so
many,