In the evening I went to a ball at the Duchesse de Lenoncourt's. The
Prince de Talleyrand happened to be there; and I got M. de Vandenesse,
a charming young man, to ask him whether, among the guests at his
country-place in 1809, he remembered any one of the name of Henarez.
Vandenesse reported the Prince's reply, word for word, as follows:

"Henarez is the Moorish name of the Soria family, who are, they say,
descendants of the Abencerrages, converted to Christianity. The old
Duke and his two sons were with the King. The eldest, the present Duke
de Soria, has just had all his property, titles, and dignities
confiscated by King Ferdinand, who in this way avenges a long-standing
feud. The Duke made a huge mistake in consenting to form a
constitutional ministry with Valdez. Happily, he escaped from Cadiz
before the arrival of the Duc d'Angouleme, who, with the best will in
the world, could not have saved him from the King's wrath."

This information gave me much food for reflection. I cannot describe
to you the suspense in which I passed the time till my next lesson,
which took place this morning.

During the first quarter of an hour I examined him closely, debating
inwardly whether he were duke or commoner, without being able to come
to any conclusion. He seemed to read my fancies as they arose and to
take pleasure in thwarting them. At last I could endure it no longer.
Putting down my book suddenly, I broke off the translation I was
making of it aloud, and said to him in Spanish:

"You are deceiving us. You are no poor middle-class Liberal. You are
the Duke de Soria!"