annoyance, and how many delays and impediments--a charge even of this
ridiculous nature, might give rise to in my present circumstances. My
passport, however, will settle all--thought I--as I thrust my hand
towards my pocket, in which I had placed it along with some letters.

Guess my misery, to discover that the whole of the pocket had been cut
away, probably in the hope of obtaining the billets de banque I had won
at play, but which I had changed from that pocket to a breast one on
leaving the table. This at once led me to suspect that there might be
some truth in the suspicion of the newspaper writer of a pre-concerted
scheme, and at once explained to me what had much puzzled me before--the
extreme rapidity with which the elements of discord were propagated, for
the whole affair was the work of a few seconds. While I continued to
meditate on these matters, the waiter entered with a small note in an
envelope, which a commissionaire had just left at the hotel for me, and
went away, saying there was no answer. I opened it hastily, and read:--

"Dear H.--The confounded affair of last night has induced me to
leave this for a few days; besides that I have obtained a most
excellent reason for absenting myself in the presence of a black
eye, which will prevent my appearance in public for a week to come.
As you are a stranger here, you need not fear being detected. With
all its desagremens, I can't help laughing at the adventure, and I
am heartily glad to have had the opportunity of displaying old
Jackson's science upon those wretched gens-d'arme.

"Your, truly,
"G.L."

This, certainly, thought I, improves my position. Here is my cousin Guy