r, these men adorned society. Why isn't
there A--, now, whom you know as well as I? Is _he_ not in possession
of all his faculties, mental and corporeal? Who writes a keener
epigram? Who reasons more wittily? Who--but, stay! I have his
agreement in my pocket-book."

Thus saying, he produced a red leather wallet, and took from it a
number of papers. Upon some of these Bon-Bon caught a glimpse of the
letters _Machi_--_Maza_--_Robesp_--with the words _Caligula_,
_George_, _Elizabeth_. His Majesty selected a narrow slip of
parchment, and from it read aloud the following words:

"In consideration of certain mental endowments which it is unnecessary
to specify, and in further consideration of one thousand louis d'or,
I, being aged one year and one month, do hereby make over to the
bearer of this agreement all my right, title, and appurtenance in the
shadow called my soul. (Signed) A...."[15] (Here His Majesty repeated
a name which I do not feel myself justified in indicating more
unequivocally.)

[15] Query.--_Arouet?_

"A clever fellow that," resumed he; "but, like you, Monsieur Bon-Bon,
he was mistaken about the soul. The soul a shadow, truly! The soul a
shadow! Ha! ha! ha!--he! he! he!--hu! hu! hu! Only think of a
_fricasseed_ shadow!"

"_Only_ think--hiccup!--of a _fricasseed_ shadow!" exclaimed our hero,
whose faculties were becoming much illuminated by the profundity of
His Majesty's discourse. "Only think of a--hiccup!--_fricasseed_
shadow!! Now, damme!--hiccup!--humph! If _I_ would have been such
a--hiccup!--nincompoop! _My_ soul, Mr.--humph!"

"_Your_ soul, Monsieur Bon-Bon?"

"Yes, sir--hiccup!--_my_ soul is--"

"What, sir?"

"_No_ shadow, damme!"

"Did you mean to say--"

"Yes, sir, _my_ soul is--hiccup!--humph!--yes, sir."

"Did you not intend to assert--"

"_My_ soul is--hiccup!--peculiarly qualified for--hiccup!--a--"

"What, sir?"

"Stew."

"Ha!"

"_Soufflee._"

"Eh!"

"_Fricassee._"

"Indeed!"

"_Ragout_ and _fricandeau_--and see here, my good fellow! I'll let you
have it--hiccup!--a bargain." Here the philosopher slapped His Majesty
upon the back.

"Couldn't think of such a thing," said the latter calmly, at the same
time rising from his seat. The metaphysician stared.

"Am supplied at present," said His Majesty.

"Hic-cup!--e-h?" said the philosopher.

"Have no funds on hand."

"What?"

"Besides, very unhandsome in me--"

"Sir!"

"To take advantage of--"

"H