"Thank you, Mr. Jefferson," said Mr. Hamilton. "Besides the business I
am charged with, which relates to the commercial treaties with Flanders,
and which I hope to have the honor of discussing with you fully before
your departure, I bear General Washington's greetings and best wishes
for your welfare and the success of your difficult mission. It would
have given him the greatest pleasure to convey these in person, and,
indeed, I think he would have been tempted to make the journey to
Monticello himself to see you had he not expected a visit from Mr.
Gouverneur Morris, who, I doubt not, is at Mount Vernon by this time."

"Mr. Morris!" exclaimed Mr. Jefferson. "And what has brought Mr. Morris
to Virginia?"

"General Washington's invitation to discuss with him a plan to urge the
necessity of a new convention upon Congress. They have been warm
personal friends, as you doubtless know, ever since Mr. Morris visited
the camp at Valley Forge, and later drafted such admirable plans for
raising money to relieve the troops. General Washington feels affection
for him as a friend and the greatest respect for him as a financier."

"He is indeed the possessor of many and varied talents," assented Mr.
Jefferson, though without any, great show of enthusiasm. "Mr. Madison
admires him, and was remarking but yesterday that 'to the brilliancy of
his genius is added what is too rare--a candid surrender of his opinions
when the lights of discussion satisfied him.' I own that the eulogy
seems a trifle overdrawn to me. He is a thought too much the aristocrat
and society man," he added, coldly. "Have you ever seen him, Ned? No? He
is a striking figure, especially since he had the vast misfortune some
years ago to lose a leg in a runaway accident."