lustrade, and apparently watching some fish in a pond
at his feet. He was thin and spare-looking, with somewhat the air of
premature age; and though dressed in the very simplest manner, there was
the unmistakable mark of a gentleman in his appearance.

He seemed to have observed me, but made no sign of recognition as I came
towards him. He even turned his head to look at me, and then resumed his
former attitude. I believe that I would willingly have retreated at
that moment, if I knew how. I felt that my presence there was like an
intrusion, and was already ashamed of it. But it was now too late;
for, standing erect, and with his hands behind him, he fixed his eyes
steadily on me, and asked me my business there. I replied that I wished
to speak with Mr. Pitt.

"Do so, then," rejoined he; "I am he."

I hesitated for a second or two how to open my communication; but he
waited for me without the slightest show of impatience, till, gaining
courage, I told him in a few words by what means I had become possessed
of a letter, the contents of which I had surmised might by possibility
have been intended for him. Short as was my explanation, it seemed to
suffice, for he nodded twice or thrice in assent as I went on, and then,
taking the letter from my hand, said,--

"Yes, this is for me."

So saying, he turned away into an alley of the garden to peruse the
letter at his leisure.

I remember as well as though it were but yesterday the strange crowd of
sensations that pressed upon my mind as I stood there waiting for his
return. Astonishment at finding myself in such a presence was the first
of these; the second was a surprise to see with how little of awe or
embarrassment I bore myself before one whose haughty bearing was the
terror of his contemporaries. I did not know enough of life to be aware
that the very fact of my humble station was the levelling influence that
operated in my favor, and that if, instead of an unknown emissary, I had
been the deputed envoy of a great government, I should have found the
minister as coldly haughty as I had heard him described.

While I was yet surmising and reasoning with myself, he came up to me,
saying,--

"They have arrested Monsieur Ducoste, you said. Is the affair like to be
serious?"

"I believe not, sir; his only paper of consequence was this."

He opened the letter again, and seemed lost in contemplation of
something it contained; at length he said,--

"Have you brought a