e it is etiquette I should call it
order--for Monsieur de Mirabeau to hasten to St. Cloud, where the king
desired to confer with him.'

'I 'll never believe it!' cried the Marquis de Ribaupierre impetuously.

'If I had the happiness of being confessor to the Marquis, I would
enjoin an extension of faith--particularly in the times we live in, said
Talleyrand, with a dry humour in his look. 'At all events, it is as
I have the honour to acquaint you. Monsieur de Mirabeau received this
message and obeyed it.'

'Par St. Louis, I can believe he obeyed it!' exclaimed the Duc de Valmy.

'And yet, Monsieur,' said the bishop, 'it was not till after very
grave reflection the Count de Mirabeau determined to accept that same
invitation.'

'Ah, Monseigneur, you would presume upon our credulity,' broke in De
Valmy.

'Far from it, Duc; I cherish every crumb of faith that falls from a
table so scantily dressed; but once more I repeat, the Count de Mirabeau
weighed well the perils on either side, and then decided on accepting
those which attached to the court.'

'The perils which attached to the court!' cried the Marquis de Langeac
scoflingly. 'Monseigneur doubtless alludes to all the seductive
temptations that would assail the cold, impassive temperament of his
friend.'

'My friend! I accept the phrase, and wish it might be mutually
acknowledged. My friend has little to boast of on the score of
impassiveness, nor would the quality stand him in great stead just now.
What the king wants he has got, however.'

'And pray what may that be, Monseigneur?'

'I will tell you, Monsieur: great promptitude, great eloquence, great
foresight, and, better than all these, great contempt for a pretentious
class, whose vanity would lead them to believe that a wound to
themselves must be the death-blow to the monarchy. Now, sir, Monsieur
de Mirabeau has these gifts, and by their influence he has persuaded the
king to accept his services----'

'Oh, Monseigneur, if any one has dared to make you the subject of a
mystification!'

'I have been the subject of many, my dear Marquis, and may live to
be the subject of more,' said the bishop, with great suavity and
good-humour; 'but I see I must not presume upon my credit with this
honourable company.' Then, changing his tone quickly, he added: 'Can
any one give me information about a young Garde du Corps called
Fitzgerald--Gerald Fitzgerald?'

'I believe I am the only one he is known to,' said Ma