orwarding to
France as rapidly as possible the English horses and coach, the
furniture and plate which he had purchased in London. He set out for
Paris in early March, leaving Calvert again in London, though he pressed
the young man urgently to accompany him back to the capital and accept
the post of Secretary of the Legation under him.

CHAPTER XVII

MR. CALVERT MEETS AN OLD ENEMY

This kind, and even brilliant, offer of Mr. Morris's Calvert declined,
reiterating smilingly to that gentleman that he felt himself a little
better of that fever of love and disappointment which he had endured in
silence for so long, and that he had no intention of suffering a
relapse. Indeed, he might have got over it in time, and been as
contented as many another man, but that he was suddenly recalled to all
that he had tried so sedulously for two years to forget. This was
brought about by a meeting with Monsieur le Baron de St. Aulaire a
couple of weeks after Mr. Morris's departure for Paris. Although it was
known that the French nobleman was in London, Mr. Calvert did not see
him until one evening at the house of Monsieur de la Luzerne. A large
company had gathered at the Ambassador's, where Monsieur de St. Aulaire
presented himself toward the end of the evening. 'Twas so evident that
he had been drinking deeply that Calvert would have avoided him, but
that the tipsy nobleman, catching sight of him, made his way directly to
him.

"At last, Monsieur," he said, bowing low and laying his hand unsteadily
on the small sword he wore at his side.

"Well," replied Mr. Calvert, coldly, by no means pleased at the
attention bestowed upon him so unexpectedly. Monsieur de St. Aulaire
sober he found objectionable; Monsieur de St. Aulaire drunk was
insufferable.

"'Well' is a cold welcome, Mr. Calvert," he said, the insolent smile
deepening on his lips.

"I am not here to welcome you, Monsieur," returned Calvert,
indifferently.

Monsieur de St. Aulaire waved his hand lightly as if flinging off the
insult, but the flush on his dissipated face deepened. Calvert, seeing
that he could not be got rid of immediately, drew him into a little
anteroom where they were almost alone.

"And yet I wished profoundly that we might meet, Monsieur--more so,
apparently, I regret to say, than you have. I have seen friends of ours
in Paris since you have had that pleasure, Monsieur," says St. Aulaire,
throwing himself across a chair and resting his fol