most touched his knee, and prancing, so as to be the
admiration of the passers-by. His coachman, whose name was Athenasis,
had the largest beard in Saint Petersburg; Joey was the smallest tiger;
Dimitri, one of the tallest and handsomest yagers. Altogether, Captain
O'Donahue had laid out his money well; and on a fine, sunny day he set
off to present his letters to the English ambassador and other parties.
Although the letters were very short, it was quite sufficient that they
were written by so distinguished and so universally beloved a person as
his Royal Highness. The ambassador, Lord Saint H, immediately desired
O'Donahue to consider his house open to him, requesting the pleasure of
his company to dinner on the following day, and offered to present him
to the Emperor at the first levee. O'Donahue took his leave, delighted
with his success, and then drove to the hotel of the Princess Woronzoff,
Count Nesselrode, and Prince Gallitzin, where he found himself equally
well received. After his visits were all paid, O'Donahue sported his
handsome equipage on the English and Russian quays, and up and down the
Neffsky Perspective for an hour or two, and then returned to the hotel.

"I am very sorry," said O'Donahue, after he had narrated to McShane all
that had taken place, "that I permitted you to put yourself down on the
passport as valet in the foolish way you have. You would have enjoyed
yourself as much as I probably shall, and have been in your proper
position in society."

"Then I'm not sorry at all, O'Donahue, and I'll tell you why. I should
have enjoyed myself, I do not doubt--but I should have enjoyed myself
too much; and, after dining with ambassadors, and princes, and counts,
and all that thing--should I ever have gone back comfortable and
contented to Mrs McShane, and the cook's shop? No, no--I'm not exactly
reconciled, as it is; and if I were to be drinking champagne, and 'ating
French kickshaws with the Russian nobility for three or four months,
dancing perhaps with princesses, and whispering in the ears of
duchesses, wouldn't my nose turn up with contempt at the beefsteak pie,
and poor Mrs McShane, with all her kind smiles, look twice as corpulent
as ever? No, no, I'm better here, and I'm a wise man, although I say it
myself."

"Well, perhaps you are, McShane; but still I do not like that I should
be spending your money in this way without your having your share of it
at least."

"My share of it--