to come soon
or late, but meanwhile I have asked General Washington to see you with
me. It may, indeed, be of small present use, but I want him to hear
you--your own account of this affair. So far he has had only what Mr.
Randolph has been pleased to tell him. I made it a personal favor. Let
us go. The cabinet meeting will be over."

Rene thanked him and not altogether assured that any good would result
from this visit, walked away with Hamilton, the two men attracting some
attention. The President at this time lived on High Street, in the
former house of Robert Morris, near to Sixth Street. They were shown
into the office room on the right, which De Courval knew well, and
where Genet, the Jacobin minister, had been insulted by the medallions
of the hapless king and queen.

In a few minutes the President entered. He bowed formally, and said,
"Pray be seated, Vicomte. I have been asked, sir, by Mr. Hamilton to
hear you. As you are not now in the service, I am pleased to allow
myself the pleasure to do so, although I have thought it well to advise
Mr. Randolph of my intention. Your case has been before the cabinet, but
as yours was a position solely in the gift of the Secretary of State,
I--or we, have felt that his appointments should lie wholly within his
control."

"And of disappointments, also, I suppose," said Hamilton, smiling, a
privileged person.

Little open to appreciation of humor, no smile came upon the worn face
of the President. He turned to Hamilton as he spoke, and then went on
addressing De Courval, and speaking, as was his way, with deliberate
slowness. "I have given this matter some personal consideration because,
although Mr. Secretary Randolph has acted as to him seemed best, you
have friends who, to be frank with you, feel desirous that I should be
informed by you in person of what took place. I am willing to oblige
them. You are, it seems, unfortunate. There are two serious charges, an
assault and--pardon me--the seizure of a despatch. May I be allowed to
ask you certain questions?"

"I shall be highly honored, sir."

"This, I am given to understand, was a personal quarrel."

"Yes, your Excellency."

"What the law may say of the matter, I do not know. What concerns us
most is the despatch. In what I say I desire, sir, to be considered open
to correction. When, as I am told, you followed Mr. Carteaux, intending
a very irregular duel, did you know that he carried a despatch?"

"I did not