“One of the court carriages is in waiting for your excellency,” said a venerable old gentleman in a tie wig, whom I recognized as the minister for foreign affairs—as he added in a lower tone to Lord Callonby, “I fear he has been greatly overworked lately—his exertions on the subject of the Greek loan are well known to his majesty.”
“Indeed,” said Lord Callonby, with a start of surprise, “I never heard of that before.”
If it had not been for that start of amazement, I should have died of terror. It was the only thing that showed me I was not out of my senses, which I now concluded the old gentleman must be, for I never had heard of the Greek loan in my life before.
“Farewell, mon cher colleague,” said the venerable minister as I got into the carriage, wondering as well I might what singular band of brotherhood united one of his majesty’s —th with the minister for foreign affairs of the Court of Bavaria.
When I arrived at the White-cross, I found my nerves, usually proof to any thing, so shaken and shattered, that fearing with the difficult game before me any mistake, however trivial, might mar all my fortunes for ever, I said a good night to my friends, and went to bed.
CHAPTER LV.
A DISCOVERY.
“A note for Monsieur,” said the waiter, awaking me at the same time from the soundest sleep and most delightful dream. The billet was thus:—
“If your excellency does not intend to slumber during the next twenty-four hours, it might be as well to remember that we are waiting breakfast. Ever yours,
“Kilkee.”
“It is true, then,” said I—following up the delusion of my dream. “It is true, I am really domesticated once more with the Callonbys. My suit is prospering, and at length the long-sought, long-hoped for moment is come—”