her pedigree. But you are looking at her son, is he not of a good
mien?"

"Yes, pretty well; but does not exhibit to advantage by the side of Lord
Bolingbroke, with whom he is now talking. Pray, who is the third
personage that has just joined them?"

"Oh, the wretch! it is the Abbe Dubois; a living proof of the folly of
the French proverb, which says that Mercuries should /not/ be made /du
bois/. Never was there a Mercury equal to the Abbe,--but, do look at
that old man to the left,--he is one of the most remarkable persons of
the age."

"What! he with the small features, and comely countenance, considering
his years?"

"The same," said Hamilton; "it is the notorious Choisi. You know that
he is the modern Tiresias, and has been a woman as well as man."

"How do you mean?"

"Ah, you may well ask!" cried Madame de Cornuel. "Why, he lived for
many years in the disguise of a woman, and had all sorts of curious
adventures."

"/Mort Diable/!" cried Hamilton; "it was entering your ranks, Madame, as
a spy. I hear he makes but a sorry report of what he saw there."

"Come, Count Antoine," cried the lively de Cornuel, "we must not turn
our weapons against each other; and when you attack a woman's sex you