with polish. For as your society is mixed, there are pretension
and effort with those who have no right to be in it, and artificial
condescension and chilling arrogance with those who have to keep their
inferiors at a certain distance. With us, all being of fixed rank and
acknowledged birth, familiarity is at once established. Hence," added
the count, with his French lively smile,--"hence there is no place like
Vienna for a young man, no place like Vienna for bonnes fortunes."

"Those make the paradise of the idle," replied Randal, "but the
purgatory of the busy. I confess frankly to you, my dear count, that
I have as little of the leisure which becomes the aspirer to bonnes
fortunes as I have the personal graces which obtain them without an
effort;" and he inclined his head as in compliment.

"So," thought the count, "woman is not his weak side. What is?"

"Morbleu! my dear Mr. Leslie, had I thought as you do some years since,
I had saved myself from many a trouble. After all, Ambition is the best
mistress to woo; for with her there is always the hope, and never the
possession."

"Ambition, Count," replied Randal, still guarding himself in dry
sententiousness, "is the luxury of the rich, and the necessity of the
poor."

"Aha," thought the count, "it comes, as I anticipated from the
first,--comes to the bribe." He passed the wine to Randal, filling his
own glass, and draining it carelessly; "Sur mon ame, mon cher," said the
count, "luxury is ever pleasanter than necessity; and I am resolved
at least to give Ambition a trial; je vais me refugier dans le sein du
bonheur domestique,--a married life and a settled home. Peste! If it
were not for ambition, one would die of ennui. A propos, my dear sir, I
have to thank you for promising my sister your aid in finding a near and
dear kinsman of mine, who has taken refuge in your country, and hides
himself even from me."

"I should be most happy to assist in your search. As yet, however, I
have only to regret that all my good wishes are fruitless. I should have
thought, however, that a man of such rank had been easily found, even
through the medium of your own ambassador."

"Our own ambassador is no very warm friend of mine; and the rank would
be no clew, for it is clear that my kinsman has never assumed it since
he quitted his country."

"He quitted it, I understand, not exactly from choice," said Randal,
smiling. "Pardon my freedom and curiosity, but will you explain