o," Archer
answered at once. "But those attachments for old women are the deuce and
all. That's what the King feels: that's what shocks the poor Queen so
much. They went away from Paris last Tuesday night, and are living at
this present moment at Jaunay's Hotel."

"Has there been a private marriage, Archer?" asked Warrington.

"Whether there has or not I don't know," Mr. Archer replied, "all I know
is that I was kept waiting for four hours at the palace; that I never
saw a man in such a state of agitation as the King of Belgium when he
came out to speak to me, and that I'm devilish hungry--and here comes
some supper."

"He has been pretty well to-night," said Warrington, as the pair went
home together: "but I have known him in much greater force, and keeping
a whole room in a state of wonder. Put aside his archery practice,
that man is both able and honest--a good man of business, an excellent
friend, admirable to his family as husband, father, and son."

"What is it makes him pull the long bow in that wonderful manner?"

"An amiable insanity," answered Warrington. "He never did anybody harm
by his talk, or said evil of anybody. He is a stout politician too, and
would never write a word or do an act against his party, as many of us
do."

"Of us! Who are we?" asked Pen. "Of what profession is Mr. Archer?"

"Of the Corporation of the Goosequill--of the Press, my boy," said
Warrington; "of the fourth estate."

"Are you, too, of the craft, then?" Pendennis said.

"We will talk about that another time," answered the other. They were
passing through the Strand as they talked, and by a newspaper office,
which was all lighted up and bright. Reporters were coming out of the
place, or rushing up to it in cabs; there were lamps burning in the
editors' rooms, and above where the compositors were at work: the
windows of the building were in a blaze of gas.

"Look at that, Pen," Warrington said. "There she is--the great
engine--she never sleeps. She has her ambassadors in every quarter of
the world--her couriers upon every road. Her officers march along
with armies, and her envoys walk into statesmen's cabinets. They are
ubiquitous. Yonder journal has an agent, at this minute, giving bribes
at Madrid; and another inspecting the price of potatoes in Covent
Garden. Look! here comes the Foreign Express galloping in. They will be
able to give news to Downing Street to-morrow: funds will rise or fall,
fortunes be made or lost;