rub the
bristles with a black dye; "for if your wig were to come off," said the
lawyer, "and your fair hair to tumble over your shoulders, every man
would know, or at least suspect you." So off the locks were cut, and in
his black suit and periwig little Poinsinet went abroad.

His friends had their cue; and when he appeared amongst them, not one
seemed to know him. He was taken into companies where his character was
discussed before him, and his wonderful escape spoken of. At last he was
introduced to the very officer of the provost-marshal who had taken him
into custody, and who told him that he had been dismissed the provost's
service, in consequence of the escape of the prisoner. Now, for the
first time, poor Poinsinet thought himself tolerably safe, and blessed
his kind friends who had procured for him such a complete disguise.
How this affair ended I know not,--whether some new lie was coined to
account for his release, or whether he was simply told that he had been
hoaxed: it mattered little; for the little man was quite as ready to be
hoaxed the next day.

Poinsinet was one day invited to dine with one of the servants of
the Tuileries; and, before his arrival, a person in company had been
decorated with a knot of lace and a gold key, such as chamberlains wear;
he was introduced to Poinsinet as the Count de Truchses, chamberlain to
the King of Prussia. After dinner the conversation fell upon the Count's
visit to Paris; when his Excellency, with a mysterious air, vowed that
he had only come for pleasure. "It is mighty well," said a third person,
"and, of course, we can't cross-question your lordship too closely;"
but at the same time it was hinted to Poinsinet that a person of such
consequence did not travel for NOTHING, with which opinion Poinsinet
solemnly agreed; and, indeed, it was borne out by a subsequent
declaration of the Count, who condescended, at last, to tell the
company, in confidence, that he HAD a mission, and a most important
one--to find, namely, among the literary men of France, a governor for
the Prince Royal of Prussia. The company seemed astonished that the King
had not made choice of Voltaire or D'Alembert, and mentioned a dozen
other distinguished men who might be competent to this important duty;
but the Count, as may be imagined, found objections to every one of
them; and, at last, one of the guests said, that, if his Prussian
Majesty was not particular as to age, he knew a person more fi