"And do you think that he would have gone thus far, sir?" asked he, slowly. "I am certain of it. The horror and disgust he expressed when reciting the story were a guarantee for what he would have done." "But yet Bonaparte has been a dreadful enemy to his race," said the count. "It is not a Condé can right himself by a murder," said I as calmly. "How I like that burst of generous royalism, young man!" said he, grasping my hand and shaking it warmly. "That steadfast faith in the honor of a Bourbon is the very heart and soul of loyalty!" Now, although I was not, so far as I knew of, any thing of a Royalist--the cause had neither my sympathy nor my wishes--I did not choose to disturb the equanimity of a poor sick man by a needless disclaimer, nor induce a discussion which must be both unprofitable and painful. "How did the fellow propose the act? had he any accomplices? or was he alone?" "I believe quite alone." "Of course suborned by England? Of that there can be no doubt." "The prince never said so." "Well, but, it is clear enough, the man must have had means; he traveled by a very circuitous route; he had come from Hamburg, probably?" "I never heard." "He must have done so. The ports of Holland, as those of France, would have been too dangerous for him. Italy is out of the question." I owned that I had not speculated so deeply on the matter. "It was strange," said he, after a pause, "that the duke never mentioned who had introduced the man to him." "He merely called him a valued friend." "In other words, the Count D'Artois," said the count; "did it not strike you so?" I had to confess it had not occurred to me to think so. "But reflect a little," said he. "Is there any other living who could have dared to make such a proposal but the count? Who, but the head of his house, could have presumed on such a step? No inferior could have had the audacity! It must have come from one so highly placed, that crime paled itself down to a mere measure of expediency, under the loftiness of the sanction. What think you?" "I can not, I will not think so", was my answer. "The very indignation of the prince's rejection refutes the supposition." "What a glorious gift is unsuspectfulness," said he, feelingly. "I am a rich man, and you, I believe, are not so; and yet, I'd give all my wealth, ay, ten times told, not for your vigor of health, not for the lightness of your heart, nor the elasticity of your spirits, but for that one small quality, defect though it be, that makes you trustful and credulous." I believe I would just as soon that the old gentleman had thought fit to compliment me upon any other quality. Of all my acquisitions, there was not one I was so vain of as my knowledge of life and character. I had seen, as I thought, so much of life! I had peeped at all ranks and conditions of men, and it was rather hard to find an old country gentleman, a "Seigneur de Village," calling me credulous and unsuspecting!