happy day for me."

"If you could contribute to bring it about would you do so?"

"I would risk my life to do it."

"Roland tells me you are a relative of Lord Grenville."

"His nephew."

"Are you on good terms with him?"

"He was very fond of my mother, his eldest sister."

"Have you inherited the fondness he bore your mother?"

"Yes; only I think he holds it in reserve till I return to England."

"Will you deliver a letter for me?"

"To whom?"

"King George III."

"I shall be greatly honored."

"Will you undertake to say to your uncle that which cannot be written in
a letter?"

"Without changing a syllable; the words of General Bonaparte are
history."

"Well, tell him--" but, interrupting himself, he turned to Bourrienne,
saying: "Bourrienne, find me the last letter from the Emperor of
Russia."

Bourrienne opened a box, and, without searching, laid his hand on a
letter that he handed to Bonaparte.

The First Consul cast his eye over the paper and then gave it to Lord
Tanlay.

"Tell him," said he, "first and before all, that you have read this
letter."

Sir John bowed and read as follows:

CITIZEN FIRST CONSUL--I have received, each armed and newly
clothed in the uniform of his regiment, the nine thousand
Russians, made prisoners in Holland, whom you have returned
to me without ransom, exchange, or condition of any kind.

This is pure chivalry, and I boast of being chivalrous.

I think that which I can best offer you in exchange for this
magnificent present, citizen First Consul, is my friendship.
Will you accept it?

As an earnest of that friendship, I am sending his passports
to Lord Whitworth, the British Ambassador to Saint Petersburg.

Furthermore, if you will be, I do not say my second, but my
witness, I will challenge personally every king who will not
take part against England and close his ports to her.

I begin with my neighbor the King of Denmark, and you will
find in the "Gazette de la Cour" the ultimatum I have sent him.

What more can I say to you? Nothing, unless it be that you and
I together can give laws to the world.

I am your admirer and sincere friend, PAUL.

Lord Tanlay turned to the First Consul. "Of course you know," said he,
"that the Emperor of Russia is mad."

"Is it that letter that makes you think so, my lord?" asked Bonaparte.

"No; but it confirms my opinion."

"It was a madman who gave Henry VI. of Lancaster