and we found ourselves in a long gallery, whose sumptuous
furniture and costly decorations shone beneath the rich tints of a massive
lustre of ruby glass, diffusing a glow resembling the most gorgeous sunset.
Here also some persons in handsome uniform were conversing, one of whom
accosted my companion by the title of "Baron;" nodding familiarly as he
muttered a few words in German, he passed forward, and the next moment the
doors were thrown suddenly wide, and we entered the drawing-room.

The buzz of voices and the sound of laughter reassured me as I came
forward, and before I had well time to think where and why I was there, the
Duke of York advanced towards me, with a smile of peculiar sweetness in its
expression, and said, as he turned towards one side:--

"Your Royal Highness--Captain O'Malley!"

As he spoke the Prince moved forward, and bowed slightly.

"You've brought us capital news, Mr. O'Malley. May I beg, if you're not
too much tired, you'll join us at dinner. I am most anxious to learn the
particulars of the assault."

As I bowed my acknowledgments to the gracious invitation, he continued:--

"Are you acquainted with my friend here?--but of course you can scarcely
be; you began too early as a soldier. So let me present you to my friend,
Mr. Tierney," a middle-aged man, whose broad, white forehead and deep-set
eyes gave a character to features that were otherwise not remarkable in
expression, and who bowed rather stiffly.

Before he had concluded a somewhat labored compliment to me, we were joined
by a third person, whose strikingly-handsome features were lit up with an
expression of the most animated kind. He accosted the Prince with an air
of easy familiarity, and while he led him from the group, appeared to be
relating some anecdote which actually convulsed his Royal Highness with
laughter.

Before I had time or opportunity to inquire who the individual could
be, dinner was announced, and the wide folding-doors being thrown open,
displayed the magnificent dining-room of Carlton House in all the blaze and
splendor of its magnificence.

The sudden change from the rough vicissitudes of campaigning life to all
the luxury and voluptuous elegance of a brilliant court, created too much
confusion in my mind to permit of my impressions being the most accurate
or most collected. The splendor of the scene, the rank, but even more the
talent of the individuals by whom I was surrounded, had all their full
effe