d me with many flattering speeches, and I returned to
Very's, where my friends were still at table. Resolved not to gratify
the triumph of their malice, I affected to have discovered the trick in
time to remedy it, and to replace my appointment in its enclosure. Of
course the possibility of what might have occurred gave rise to many
a droll fancy and absurd conceit, and I plainly saw how very little
compunction there would have been for my disaster if a ludicrous scene
had ensued between the king and myself.

We separated now, with all the testimonies of sincere affection,--some
of my fair friends even wept; and our parting had all the parade and
about the same amount of sincerity as a scene in a drama. Paul alone
showed any real feeling: he liked me probably because he had served
me,--a stronger bond of affection than many people are aware of. "Tell
me one thing, Creganne," cried he, as he shook my hand for the
last time,--"we are perhaps never to meet again, life has so many
vicissitudes,--tell me frankly, then, if your Mexican history, your
riches and gems and gold, your diamonds, your rubies, your doubloons,
and your moidores, are not all a humbug, together with your imprisonment
in Malaga, and all its consequences?"

"True, every word of it," said I, impressively.

"Come, come, now, your secret is safe with _me_. Be open and
above-board; say honestly that the whole was a 'get up.' I promise you
fairly that, if you do, I 'll have a higher value for your talents at
an episode than I now place upon your lost wealth and your countship to
boot."

"I'm sorry for it," replied I; "there are few men whose esteem I set
more store by. If I could oblige you by becoming a cheat, my regard for
you might possibly overmaster my better judgment; but, unhappily, I am
what I represent myself, and what I trust one day yet to convince you."
With this we parted. As the diligence drove away, I could see Paul still
standing in the same place, evidently unable to resolve the difficult
problem of my veraciousness.

And now I am approaching a chapter of my history whose adventures
and chances are alone a story in themselves. The varied fortunes of
a campaign in a strange land, with strange enemies, new scenes and
climate, of course were not without incidents to diversify and interest
them; and although I could probably select more passages of curious
adventure from this than from any other portion of my life, I am forced
to pass by all