oor, and the Duke of Chateaurien was
announced. The young man's manners were worthy--according to the French
acceptance--and 'twere idle to deny him the most monstrous assurance. He
declared himself a noble traveling for pleasure. He had taken lodgings
in Bath for a season, he said, and called at once to pay his respects
to me. His tone was so candid--in truth, I am the simplest of men, very
easily gulled--and his stroke so bold, that I did not for one moment
suspect him; and, to my poignant regret--though in the humblest spirit
I have shown myself eager to atone--that very evening I had the shame of
presenting him to yourself."

"The shame, sir!"

"Have patience, pray, madam. Ay, the shame! You know what figure he hath
cut in Bath since that evening. All ran merrily with him until several
days ago Captain Badger denounced him as an impostor, vowing that
Chateaurien was nothing."

"Pardon," interrupted M. Beaucaire. "'Castle Nowhere' would have been so
much better. Why did you not make him say it that way, monsieur?"

Lady Mary started; she was looking at the Duke, and her face was white.
He continued: "Poor Captain Badger was stabbed that same day.--"

"Most befitting poor Captain Badger," muttered Molyneux.

"----And his adversary had the marvelous insolence to declare that he
fought in my quarrel! This afternoon the wounded man sent for me, and
imparted a very horrifying intelligence. He had discovered a lackey whom
he had seen waiting upon Beaucaire in attendance at the door of
this Chateaurien's lodging. Beaucaire had disappeared the day before
Chateaurien's arrival. Captain Badger looked closely at Chateaurien at
their next meeting, and identified him with the missing Beaucaire beyond
the faintest doubt. Overcome with indignation, he immediately proclaimed
the impostor. Out of regard for me, he did not charge him with being
Beaucaire; the poor soul was unwilling to put upon me the humiliation of
having introduced a barber; but the secret weighed upon him till he sent
for me and put everything in my hands. I accepted the odium; thinking
only of atonement. I went to Sir John Wimpledon's. I took poor Sir
Hugh, there, and these other gentlemen aside, and told them my news. We
narrowly observed this man, and were shocked at our simplicity in not
having discovered him before. These are men of honor and cool judgment,
madam. Mr. Molyneux had acted for him in the affair of Captain Badger,
and was strongly prejudiced