writing in English it may be well to translate
the speeches as I proceed; although I abandon with regret the advantage
of going through them literally, and in the appropriate dialect in which
they were originally spoken.

"Gentlemen and ladies," I said, inclining my body in salutation, "I ask
a thousand pardons for this inopportune intrusion on your retirement;
but overhearing a few of what I much fear are but too well-grounded
complaints, touching the false position in which you are placed as the
occupant of this apartment, and in that light your host, I have ventured
to approach, with no other desire than the wish that you would make me
the repository of all your griefs, in order, if possible, that they may
be repaired as soon as circumstances shall in any manner allow."

The strangers were very naturally a little startled at my unexpected
appearance, and at the substance of what I had just said. I observed
that the two ladies were apparently in some slight degree even
distressed, the younger turning her head on one side in maiden modesty,
while the elder, a duenna sort of looking person, dropped her eyes to
the floor, but succeeded in better maintaining her self-possession and
gravity. The eldest of the two gentlemen approached me with dignified
composure, after a moment of hesitation, and returning my salute by
waving his tail with singular grace and decorum, he answered as follows.
I may as well state in this place that he spoke the French about as well
as an Englishman who has lived long enough on the continent to fancy he
can travel in the provinces without being detected for a foreigner. Au
reste, his accent was slightly Russian, and his enunciation whistling
and harmonious. The females, especially in some of the lower keys of
their voices, made sounds not unlike the sighing tones of the Eolian
harp. It was really a pleasure to hear them; but I have often had
occasion to remark that, in every country but one, which I do not care
to name, the language when uttered by the softer sex takes new charms,
and is rendered more delightful to the ear.

"Sir," said the stranger, when he had done waving his tail, "I should do
great injustice to my feelings, and to the monikin character in general,
were I to neglect expressing some small portion of the gratitude I feel
on the present occasion. Destitute, houseless, insulted wanderers and
captives, fortune has at length shed a ray of happiness on our miserable
condition, a