ers. A man in your Paris, Madame, lives in a sort
of whirlwind which turns him around so fast that he can see nothing.
'Tis no wonder that the people of this metropolis are under the
necessity of pronouncing their definitive judgment from the first
glance, and, being thus habituated to shoot flying, they have what
sportsmen call a quick sight. They know a wit by his snuff-box, a man of
taste by his bow, and a statesman by the cut of his coat." As he
finished speaking there was a general movement at the card-tables, and
Madame d'Azay, accompanied by Mr. Jefferson, who had been looking on at
the game (for he never played), and followed by the company, entered the
drawing-room.

"Ah, Monsieur Morris!" she said, catching sight of that gentleman. "You
have a talent for being always a propos, Monsieur! We have just finished
our game and are ready to listen to the latest gossip, which, I am sure,
you have heard from that charming friend of yours, Madame de Flahaut."

"The Duchess has just won prodigiously at quinze from the Abbe Delille,
who hates damnably to lose," whispered Segur to Calvert, "and, having
won, she stopped the game in the best of humors."

"Alas, Madame!" said Mr. Morris, in answer to the Duchess, "I have not
had the pleasure of seeing Madame de Flahaut, but am just from the Club
de Valois. As you can imagine to yourself, I heard nothing but politics
at the Club."

"Unfortunately, one does not have to go to the club to hear politics,"
replied Madame d'Azay, dryly. "It has required all my authority to
restrain these gentlemen this evening from discussing such subjects.
Indeed, I think Monsieur Jefferson and Monsieur de Lafayette, in spite
of my defense, which I now remove, have had a political debate," and she
snapped her bright eyes and nodded her withered old head severely at the
two gentlemen.

"_Peccavi_!" said the Marquis, bowing low. "I am the culprit, but
surely, Madame, you would not have me fail to listen to Mr. Jefferson's
counsels when I am so fortunate as to be offered them! He advises me,"
continued Monsieur de Lafayette, turning to Mr. Morris, "to burn my
instructions from the noblesse, which engage me absolutely to favor the
vote by orders and not by persons, and, should this produce an
irrevocable rupture with my electors, boldly to take my stand with the
tiers etat. I have seen Necker to-day and he is as far as ever from a
solution of this great and first question which must come up before