s_ is to be
had. Now, if she had been a _general_ it would have been all up with
you. Military rank is everything here, as Dimitri says."

"She's an angel," replied O'Donahue, with a sigh.

"That's rank in heaven, but goes for nothing in Petersburg," replied
McShane. "Dimitri tells me they've _civil_ generals here, which I
conceive are improvements on our staff, for devil a civil general I've
had the pleasure of serving under."

"What shall I do," said O'Donahue, getting up and preparing to write his
note to the ambassador.

"Eat your dinner, drink a bottle of champagne, and then I'll come and
talk it over with you, that's all you can do at present. Give me the
note, and I'll send Dimitri off with it at once, and order up your
dinner."

McShane's advice not being very bad, it was followed. O'Donahue had
finished his dinner, and was sitting by the fire with McShane, when
there was a knock at the door. McShane was summoned, and soon returned,
saying, "There's a little fellow that wants to speak with you, and won't
give his message. He's a queer little body, and not so bad-looking
either, with a bolster on the top of his head, and himself not higher
than a pillow; a pigeon could sit upon his shoulder and peck up peas out
of his shoes; he struts like a grenadier, and, by the powers! a
grenadier's cap would serve as an extinguisher for him. Shall I show
him in?"

"Certainly," replied O'Donahue.

The reader may not be aware that there is no part of the globe where
there are so many dwarfs as at Saint Petersburg; there is scarcely an
hotel belonging to a noble family without one or two, if not more; they
are very kindly treated, and are, both in appearance and temper, very
superior to the dwarfs occasionally met with elsewhere. One of this
diminutive race now entered the room, dressed in a Turkish costume; he
was remarkably well made and handsome in person; he spoke sufficient
French to inquire if he addressed himself to Captain O'Donahue; and on
being replied to in the affirmative, he gave him a small billet, and
then seated himself on the sofa with all the freedom of a petted menial.
O'Donahue tore open the note; it was very short:--

"As I know you cannot communicate with me, I write to say that I was
delighted at your having kept your promise. You shall hear from me
again as soon as I know where I can meet you; in the meantime, be
cautious. The bearer is to be trusted; he belongs to me.