o rich
in good works as not to keep the memory of Devil's Cliff pure and
without stain. It was a costly luxury, perhaps, but I had been James of
Monmouth twenty-four hours, and somewhat of my role of grand seigneur
still clung to me."

"Noble and excellent heart!" exclaimed Angela.

"But," said Monmouth, "you were so poor!"

"It is just because I am used to poverty and an adventurous life that
that cost me nothing--I said to myself: 'Polypheme--consider! thou hast
dreamed this night that thou wast worth two hundred thousand crowns.' I
dreamed this dream--all has been said--and that did me good. Yes, often
in Russia, when I was in misery--in distress--or when I was nailed to my
pallet by a wound, I said to myself, to comfort and to rejoice me:
'After all, Polypheme, for once in thy life thou hast done something
noble and generous.' Well, you may believe me, that restored my courage.
But this is boasting, and what is worse, it unmans me--let us return to
my departure from Rochelle. I avow it to you and I thank you for it;
nevertheless, I have profited a little by your generosity. As nothing
remained to me of my three unlucky crowns, and that was a small sum to
travel to Moscow on, I borrowed twenty-five louis from Master Daniel on
the cargo; I paid my passage on a Hamburg ship from Hamburg to Fallo; I
embarked for Revel on a Swedish vessel; from Revel I went to Moscow; I
arrived there like seafish in Lent; Admiral Lefort was recruiting a
forlorn hope to reinforce the _polichnie_ of the czar; in other words,
the first company of infantry equipped and maneuvering after the German
mode which had existed in Russia. I had made the campaign in Flanders
with the '_reiters_;' I knew the service; I was then enrolled in the
_polichnie_ of the czar, and I had the honor of having this great man
for file closer, for he served in this company as a simple soldier,
seeing he had the habit of thinking that in order to know a trade it is
necessary to learn it.

"Once incorporated in the Muscovite army, I served in all the wars. Do
not think, my lord, that I am going to recount to you my campaigns, to
speak to you of the siege of Azof, where I received a saber cut on my
head; the taking of Astrakhan under Scheremetoff, where I received a
lance thrust in my loins; of the siege of Narva, where I had the honor
of aiming at his majesty, Charles XII., and the good fortune to miss
him; and finally, the great battle of Dorpat.

"No, no, do n