table-looking old fellow with a
bald head--let us hear him; there's no boasting of the great people he
ever met with from that one, I'm sure."

'"We were now coming near to Vienna," continued he, "the night was dark
as pitch, when a vedette came up to say that a party of brigands, well
known thereabouts, were seen hovering about the post station the entire
evening. We were well armed, but still by no means numerous, and it
became a grave question what we were to do. I got down immediately, and
examined the loading and priming of the carbines; they were all right,
nothing had been stirred. 'What's the matter?' said the duke." ("Oh,"
thought I, "then there's a duke here also!") "'What's the matter?' said
the Duke of Wellington."

'"Oh, by Jove! that beats all!" cried I, jumping up on the sofa, and
opening both my hands with astonishment. "I 'd have wagered a trifle on
that little fellow, and hang me if he isn't the worst of the whole
set!"

'"What 's the matter; what's happened?" said they all, turning round in
amazement at my sudden exclamation. "Is the man mad?"

'"It's hard to say," replied I; "but if I 'm not, you must be--unless
I have the honour, which is perfectly possible, to be at this moment in
company with the Holy Alliance; for, so help me, since I've sat here and
listened to you, there is not a crowned head in Europe, not a queen, not
an archduke, ambassador, and general-in-chief, whom some of you have not
been intimate with; and the small man with a red beard has just let slip
something about the Shah of Persia."

'The torrent of laughter that shook the table never ceased for a full
quarter of an hour. Old and young, smooth and grizzly, they laughed till
their faces were seamed with rivulets like a mountain in winter; and
when they would endeavour to address me, they'd burst out again, as
fresh as ever.

'"Come over and join us, worthy friend," said he who sat at the head of
the board--"you seem well equal to it; and perhaps our character as men
of truth may improve on acquaintance."

'"What, in Heaven's name, are you?" said I.

'Another burst of merriment was the only reply they made me. I never
found much difficulty in making my way in certain classes of society
where the tone was a familiar one. Where a _bon mot_ was good currency
and a joke passed well, there I was at home, and to assume the features
of the party was with me a kind of instinct which I could not avoid;
it cost me neither effort