ed him with information at a similar rate, had his
chief not known the young nobleman's character pretty well, and had
(as is usually the case) the work of the mission performed by a steady
roturier, while the young brilliant bloods of the suite sported their
embroidery at the balls, or shook their Mechlin ruffles over the green
tables at faro. I have seen many scores of these young sprigs since,
of these and their principals, and, mon Dieu! what fools they are! What
dullards, what fribbles, what addle-headed simple coxcombs! This is one
of the lies of the world, this diplomacy; or how could we suppose, that
were the profession as difficult as the solemn red-box and tape-men
would have us believe, they would invariably choose for it little
pink-faced boys from school, with no other claim than mamma's title, and
able at most to judge of a curricle, a new dance, or a neat boot?

When it became known, however, to the officers of the garrison that
there was a faro-table in town, they were wild to be admitted to the
sport; and, in spite of my entreaties to the contrary, my uncle was
not averse to allow the young gentlemen their fling, and once or twice
cleared a handsome sum out of their purses. It was in vain I told him
that I must carry the news to my captain, before whom his comrades would
not fail to talk, and who would thus know of the intrigue even without
my information.

'Tell him,' said my uncle.

'They will send you away,' said I; 'then what is to become of me?'

'Make your mind easy,' said the latter, with a smile; 'you shall not be
left behind, I warrant you. Go take a last look at your barracks, make
your mind easy; say a farewell to your friends in Berlin. The dear
souls, how they will weep when they hear you are out of the country;
and, as sure as my name is Barry, out of it you shall go!'

'But how, sir?' said I.

'Recollect Mr. Fakenham of Fakenham,' said he knowingly. ''Tis you
yourself taught me how. Go get me one of my wigs. Open my despatch-box
yonder, where the great secrets of the Austrian Chancery lie; put your
hair back off you forehead; clap me on this patch and these moustaches,
and now look in the glass!'

'The Chevalier de Balibari,' said I, bursting with laughter, and began
walking the room in his manner with his stiff knee.

The next day, when I went to make my report to Monsieur de Potzdorff, I
told him of the young Prussian officers that had been of late gambling;
and he replied, as