rk triumphant, and three
or four peasants in smock-frocks (who sat about the fire to play chorus)
had let their pipes go out.

"Give you good-evening, sir!" said the attorney's clerk to me.

"The same to you, sir," said I.

"I think this one will do," quoth the clerk to the yokels with a wink;
and then, as soon as I had given my order, "Pray, sir, whither are you
bound?" he added.

"Sir," said I, "I am not one of those who speak either of their business
or their destination in houses of public entertainment."

"A good answer," said he, "and an excellent principle.--Sir, do you
speak French?"

"Why, no, sir," said I. "A little Spanish, at your service."

"But you know the French accent, perhaps?" said the clerk.

"Well do I do that!" said I. "The French accent? Why, I believe I can
tell a Frenchman in ten words."

"Here is a puzzle for you, then!" he said. "I have no material doubt
myself, but some of these gentlemen are more backward. The lack of
education, you know. I make bold to say that a man cannot walk, cannot
hear, and cannot see, without the blessings of education."

He turned to the Major, whose food plainly stuck in his throat.

"Now, sir," pursued the clerk, "let me have the pleasure to hear your
voice again. Where are you going, did you say?"

"Sare, I am go--ing to Lon--don," said the Major.

I could have flung my plate at him to be such an ass, and to have so
little a gift of languages where that was the essential.

"What think ye of that?" said the clerk. "Is that French enough?"

"Good God!" cried I, leaping up like one who should suddenly perceive an
acquaintance, "is this you, Mr. Dubois? Why, who would have dreamed of
encountering you so far from home?" As I spoke, I shook hands with the
Major heartily; and turning to our tormentor, "O, sir, you may be
perfectly reassured! This is a very honest fellow, a late neighbour of
mine in the City of Carlisle."

I thought the attorney looked put out; I little knew the man!

"But he is French," said he, "for all that?"

"Ay, to be sure!" said I. "A Frenchman of the emigration! None of your
Buonaparte lot. I will warrant his views of politics to be as sound as
your own."

"What is a little strange," said the clerk quietly, "is that Mr. Dubois
should deny it."

I got it fair in the face, and took it smiling; but the shock was rude,
and in the course of the next words I contrived to do what I have rarely
done, and make a slip in my English