forward over
the balcony to obtain a better view, and who had concealed his face
by leaning on his arm, felt his heart swell and overflow with a bitter
jealousy.

The noise of the trumpets excited him--the popular acclamations deafened
him: for a moment he allowed his reason to be absorbed in this flood of
lights, tumult, and brilliant images.

"He is a king!" murmured he, in an accent of despair.

Then, before he had recovered from his sombre reverie, all the noise,
all the splendor, had passed away. At the angle of the street there
remained nothing beneath the stranger but a few hoarse, discordant
voices, shouting at intervals "_Vive le Roi!_"

There remained likewise the six candles held by the inhabitants of
the hostelry _des Medici_; that is to say, two for Cropole, two for
Pittrino, and one for each scullion. Cropole never ceased repeating,
"How good-looking the king is! How strongly he resembles his illustrious
father!"

"A handsome likeness!" said Pittrino.

"And what a lofty carriage he has!" added Madame Cropole, already in
promiscuous commentary with her neighbors of both sexes.

Cropole was feeding their gossip with his own personal remarks, without
observing that an old man on foot, but leading a small Irish horse by
the bridle, was endeavoring to penetrate the crowd of men and women
which blocked up the entrance to the _Medici_. But at that moment the
voice of the stranger was heard from the window.

"Make way, monsieur l'hotelier, to the entrance of your house!"

Cropole turned around, and, on seeing the old man, cleared a passage for
him.

The window was instantly closed.

Pittrino pointed out the way to the newly-arrived guest, who entered
without uttering a word.

The stranger waited for him on the landing; he opened his arms to the
old man, and led him to a seat.

"Oh, no, no, my lord!" said he. "Sit down in your presence?--never!"

"Parry," cried the gentleman, "I beg you will; you come from
England--you come so far. Ah! it is not for your age to undergo the
fatigues my service requires. Rest yourself."

"I have my reply to give your lordship, in the first place."

"Parry, I conjure you to tell me nothing; for if your news had been
good, you would not have begun in such a manner; you go about, which
proves that the news is bad."

"My lord," said the old man, "do not hasten to alarm yourself; all
is not lost, I hope. You must employ energy, but more particularly
resignation."