the arrival that makes such
a clatter outside?" said Lord Lackington, as a tremendous chorus of
whip-cracking announced the advent of something very important; and
the doctor hurried off to receive the visitor. Already a large
travelling-carriage, drawn by eight horses, and followed by a "fourgon"
with four, had drawn up before the great entrance, and a courier,
gold-banded and whiskered, and carrying a most imposingly swollen
money-bag, was ringing stoutly for admittance. When Dr. Lanfranchi had
exchanged a few words with the courier, he approached the window of the
carriage, and, bowing courteously, proceeded to welcome the traveller.

"Your apartments have been ready since the sixteenth, sir; and we hoped
each day to have seen you arrive."

"Have your visitors all gone?" asked the stranger, in a low quiet tone.

"No, sir; the fine weather has induced many to prolong their stay. We
have the Princess Labanoff, Lord Lackington, the Countess Grembinski,
the Duke of Terra di Monte, the Lady Grace--"

The traveller, however, paid little attention to the Catalogue, but with
the aid of the courier on one side and his-valet on the other, slowly
descended from the carriage. If he availed himself of their assistance,
there was little in his appearance that seemed to warrant its necessity.
He was a large, powerfully built man, something beyond the prime of
life, but whose build announced considerable vigor. Slightly stooped in
the shoulders, the defect seemed to add to the fixity of his look,
for the head was thus thrown more forward, and the expression of the
deep-set eyes, overshadowed by shaggy gray eyebrows, rendered more
piercing and direct His features were massive and regular, their
character that of solemnity and gravity; and as he removed his cap,
he displayed a high, bold forehead with what phrenologists would have
called an extravagant development of the organs of locality. Indeed,
these overhanging masses almost imparted an air of retreating to a head
that was singularly straight.

"A number of letters have arrived for you, and you will find them in
your room, sir," continued Lanfranchi, as he escorted him towards the
stairs. A quiet bow acknowledged this speech, and the doctor went on: "I
was charged with a message from Lord Lackington, too, who desired me to
say that he hoped to see you as soon as possible after your arrival. May
I inform him when you could receive him?"

"Not to-night; some time to-morrow,