of cavalry."--"I
will come, Francois," said I. "Tell Mrs. Keats that she may expect us
immediately." I took especial care in my dialogue to keep this prying
fellow outside the room, and to interpose in every attempt that he made
to obtain a peep within. In this I perfectly succeeded, and dismissed
him, without his being able to report any one circumstance about my two
travelling friends.

My next task was to inform them of my intentions on their behalf; nor
was this so easy as might be imagined, for Vaterchen had indulged very
freely with the wine, and all the mountains of Calabria lay between
myself and Tinte-fleck. With a great exercise of ingenuity, and more of
patience, I did at last succeed in making known to the old fellow that a
lady of the highest station and her friend were curious to see them. He
only caught my meaning after some time; but when he had surmounted
the difficulty, as though to show mc how thoroughly he understood the
request, and how nicely he appreciated its object, he began a series of
face contortions of the most dreadful kind, being a sort of programme
of what he intended to exhibit to the distinguished company. I repressed
this firmly, severely. I explained that an artist in all the relations
of private life should be ever the gentleman; that the habits of the
stage were no more necessary to carry into the world than the costume.
I dilated upon the fact that John Kemble had been deemed fitting company
by the first gentleman of Europe; and that if his manner could have
exposed him to a criticism, it was in, perhaps, a slight tendency to an
over-reserve, a cold and almost stern dignity. I 'm not sure Vaterchen
followed me completely, nor understood the anecdotes I introduced about
Edmund Bean and Lord Byron; but I now addressed myself pictorially to
Tintefleck,--pictorially, I say, for words were hopeless. I signified
that a _tres grande dame_ was about to receive her. I arose, with my
skirts expanded in both hands, made a reverent courtesy, throwing my
head well back, looking every inch a duchess. But, alas for my powers
of representation! she burst into a hearty laugh, and had at last to lay
her head on Vaterchen's shoulder out of pure exhaustion.

"Explain to her what I have told you, sir, and do not sit grinning at me
there, like a baboon," said I, in a severe voice.

I cannot say how he acquitted himself, but I could gather that a very
lively altercation ensued, and it seemed to me as t