the Almighty's sun, to amuse the living rabble while the dead
slumbered in his imperial crypt, himself now but a relic for the
amusement of the people whom he had despised. O tempora! O mores! O
Napoleon!

Down under my window, in the asphalted court, the King of Finland was
entering his beautiful victoria. An adjutant, wearing a cocked hat and
brilliant uniform, mounted the box beside the green-and-gold coachman;
the two postilions straightened up in their saddles; the four horses
danced. Then, when the Crown-Prince of Monaco had taken a seat beside
the King, the carriage rolled away, and far down the quay I watched it
until the flutter of the green-and-white plumes in the adjutant's
cocked hat was all I could see of vanishing royalty.

I was still musing there by the window, listening to the click and
ringing of the type-writer, when I suddenly became aware that the
clicking had ceased, and, turning, I saw the young Countess standing
beside me.

"Thank you for your chivalrous impulse to help me," she said, frankly,
holding out her bare hand.

I bent over it.

"I had not realized how desperate my case was," she said, with a
smile. "I supposed that they would at least give me a hearing. How can
I thank you for your brave vote in my favor?"

"By giving me your confidence in this matter," said I, gravely. "If we
are to win, we must work together and work hard, madame. We are