impossible; voila!"

"N'importe, mon cher; le capitaine va partir, et il n'a plus soif."

"Dere is assez de jin," continued the valet, who felt for the captain's
disappointment, "mais, Monsieur Loodle, have du gout, an' he n'aime pas so
strong liqueur."

"He has swallowed already more than was necessary for one occasion," said
Alida, smiling on her admirer, in a manner that left him doubtful whether
he ought most to repine, or to rejoice. "Thank you, good Francois; your
duty for the night shall end with lighting the captain to the door."

Then saluting the young commander, in a manner that would not admit of
denial, la belle Barberie dismissed her lover and the valet, together.

"You have a pleasant office, Monsieur Francois," said the former, as he
was lighted to the outer door of the pavilion; "it is one that many a
gallant gentleman would envy."

"Oui, Sair. It be grand plaisir to serve Mam'selle Alide. Je porte de fan,
de book, mais quant an vin, Monsieur le Capitaine, parole d'honneur, c'est
toujours impossible apres que l'Aldermain s'est couche."

"Ay--the book--I think you had the agreeable duty, to-day, of carrying the
book of la Belle?"

"Vraiment, oui! 'Twas ouvrage de Monsieur Pierre Corneille. On pretend,
que Monsieur Shak-a-spear en a emprunte d'assez beaux sentiments!"

"And the paper between the leaves?--you were charged also with that note,
good Francois?"

The valet paused, shrugged his shoulders, and aid one of his long yellow
fingers on the plane of an enormous aquiline nose, while he seemed to
muse. Then shaking his head perpendicularly, he preceded the captain, as
before, muttering, as usual, half in French and half in English,--

"For le papier, I know, rien du tout; c'est bien possible, parceque, voyez
vous, Monsieur le Capitaine, Mam'selle Alide did say, prenez-y garde; but
I no see him, depuis. Je suppose 'twas beaux compliments ecrits on de vers
of M. Pierre Corneille. Quel genie que celui de cet homme la!--n'est ce
pas, Monsieur?"

"It is of no consequence, good Francois," said Ludlow, slipping a guinea
into the hands of the valet. "If you should ever discover what became of
that paper, however, you will oblige me by letting me know. Good night;
mes devoirs a la Belle!"

"Bon soir, Monsieur le Capitaine; c'est un brave Monsieur que celui-la, et
de tres bonne famille! Il n'a pas de si grandes terres, que Monsieur le
Patteroon, pourtant, on dit, qu'il doit avoir de jolies maisons e