The police were forever on the wrong track. To-day they stopped the old Comptesse du Quesne and her jewels, at the Barrière; to-morrow, with their long needles, they riddled a package of lace destined for the Duchess of X. herself; the Secret Service was doubled; and to crown all, a splendid new star of the testy Prince de Ligne was examined and proclaimed to be paste,--the Prince swearing vengeance, if he could discover the cause,--while half Paris must have been under arrest. My own hotel was ransacked thoroughly,--Hay begging that his traps might be included,--but nothing resulted, and I expected nothing, for, of course, I could swear that the stone was in my pocket when I stepped into the street. I confess I never was nearer madness,--every word and gesture stung me like asps,--I walked on burning coals. Enduring all this torment, I must yet meet my daily comrades, eat ices at Tortoni's, stroll on the Boulevards, call on my acquaintance, with the same equanimity as before. I believe I was equal to it. Only by contrast with that blessed time when Ulster and diamonds were unknown, could I imagine my past happiness, my present wretchedness. Rather than suffer it again, I would be stretched on the rack till every bone in my skin was broken. I cursed Mr. Arthur Ulster every hour in the day; myself, as well; and even now the word diamond sends a cold blast to my heart. I often met my friend the _marchand des armures_. It was his turn to triumph; I fancied there must be a hang-dog kind of air about me, as about every sharp man who has been outwitted. It wanted finally but two days of that on which I was to deliver the diamond. One midnight, armed with a dark lantern and a cloak, I was traversing the streets alone,--unsuccessful, as usual, just now solitary, and almost in despair. As I turned a corner, two men were but scarcely visible a step before me. It was a badly-lighted part of the town. Unseen and noiseless I followed. They spoke in low tones,--almost whispers; or rather, one spoke,--the other seemed to nod assent. "On the day but one after to-morrow," I heard spoken in English. Great Heavens! was it possible? had I arrived at a clue? That was the day of days for me. "You have given it, you say, in this billet,--I wish to be exact, you see," continued the voice,--"to prevent detection, you gave it, ten minutes after it came into your hands, to the butler of Madame----," (here the speaker stumbled on the rough pavement, and I lost the name,) "who," he continued, "will put it in the----" (a second stumble acted like a hiccough) "cellar." "Wine-cellar," I thought; "and what then?" "In the----." A third stumble was followed by a round German oath. How easy it is for me now to fill up the little blanks which that unhappy pavement caused!