eet,
at the Marquis de P----'s, our own _charge des affaires_, the
Count de Ludorf, the Neapolitan ambassador. As I was to leave
in a few days for Naples, the Marquis introduced me to his
brother in diplomacy. M. de Ludorf received me with that cold
and vacant smile which pledges to nothing; nevertheless, after
this introduction, I thought myself bound to carry to him our
passports myself. M. de Ludorf had the civility to tell me to
deposit the passports at his office, and to call there for them
the day after the morrow.

"Two days having elapsed, I accordingly presented myself at the
office: I found a clerk there, who, with the utmost politeness,
informed me that some difficulties having arisen on the subject
of my _visa_, I had better make an application to the
ambassador himself. I was obliged, therefore, whatever
resolution I had made to the contrary, to present myself again
to M. de Ludorf.

"I found the ambassador more cold, more measured than before,
but reflecting that it would probably be the last time I should
have the honour of seeing him, I resigned myself. He motioned
to me to take a chair. This was some improvement upon the last
visit; the last visit he left me standing.

"'Monsieur,' said he, with a certain air of embarrassment, and
drawing out, one after the other, the folds of his shirt-front,
'I regret to say that you cannot go to Naples.'

"'Why so?' I replied, determined to impose upon our dialogue
whatever tone I thought fit--'are the roads so bad?'

"'No, monsieur; the roads are excellent, but you have the
misfortune to be on the list of those who cannot enter the
kingdom of Naples.'

"'However honourable such a distinction may be, monsieur
l'ambassadeur,' said I, suiting my tone to the words, 'it will
at present be rather inconvenient, and I trust you will permit
me to inquire into the cause of this prohibition. If it is
nothing but one of those slight and vexatious interruptions
which one meets with perpetually in Italy, I have some friends
about the world who might have influence sufficient to remove
it.'

"'The cause is one of a grave nature, and I doubt if your
friends, of whatever rank they may be, will have influence to
remove it.'

"'What may it be?'

"'In the first place, you are the son of General Matthieu