persons in waiting sprang from their lounging attitudes upon
the sofas, and bowed respectfully as he passed on towards another door.
His dress was a plain blue coat, buttoned to the collar, and his only
decoration a brilliant star upon the breast. There was that air, however,
of high birth and bearing about him that left no doubt upon my mind he was
of the blood royal.

As the aide-de-camp to whom I had been speaking opened the door for him to
pass out, I could hear some words in a low voice, in which the phrases,
"letters of importance" and "your Royal Highness" occurred. The individual
addressed turned suddenly about, and casting a rapid glance around the
room, without deigning a word in reply, walked straight up to where I was
standing.

"Despatches for me, sir?" said he, shortly, taking, as he spoke, the packet
from my hand.

"For his Royal Highness the commander-in-chief," said I, bowing
respectfully, and still uncertain in whose presence I was standing. He
broke the seal without answering, and as his eye caught the first lines of
the despatch, broke out into an exclamation of--

Ha, Peninsular news! When did you arrive, sir?"

"An hour since, sir."

"And these letters are from--"

"General Picton, your Royal Highness."

"How glorious! How splendidly done!" muttered he to himself, as he ran his
eyes rapidly over the letter. "Are you Captain O'Malley, whose name is
mentioned here so favorably?"

I bowed deeply in reply.

"You are most highly spoken of, and it will give me sincere pleasure to
recommend you to the notice of the Prince Regent. But stay a moment," so
saying, he hurriedly passed from the room, leaving me overwhelmed at the
suddenness of the incident, and a mark of no small astonishment to the
different persons in waiting, who had hitherto no other idea but that my
despatches were from Hounslow or Knightsbridge.

"Captain O'Malley," said an officer covered with decorations, and whose
slightly foreign accent bespoke the Hanoverian, "his Royal Highness
requests you will accompany me." The door opened as he spoke, and I found
myself in a most splendidly lit-up apartment,--the walls covered with
pictures, and the ceiling divided, into panels resplendent with the richest
gilding. A group of persons in court dresses were conversing in a low tone
as we entered, but suddenly ceased, and saluting my conductor respectfully,
made way for us to pass on. The folding-doors again opened as we
approached,