The two friends set off together. They had hardly gone two steps before they came upon quite a group standing around the doorway of a fine house almost opposite Müller’s. It was the residence of the Russian legation. They were told in reply to their questions that a courier had just arrived on horseback, covered with dust and half‐dead with fatigue. He left St. Petersburg on the twenty‐sixth, and had been ten days on the way. “Does anybody know what news he has brought?” asked Müller of the man who gave him this information. “Nothing definite, of course. And we shall learn nothing there,” pointing to the diplomatic residence, “except what they please to tell us.” Müller and Clement stopped no longer. “The twenty‐sixth!” said Müller. “I should like to know the contents of the despatch.” “The other legations must soon have news of as late a date, to say nothing of our own correspondent, who will give us the earliest information possible. But, now I think of it, one of the attachés of the French legation is somewhat of a friend of mine; what if I go and ask him for the details?” Müller thought this a capital idea, and Clement left him at once to go to the residence of the French legation. Müller kept on to his office at Waltheim’s, where he would wait for him. The young attaché referred to was the Vicomte de Noisy. He had been present at one of the public assemblies in which Clement distinguished himself as a speaker, and conceived a fancy for him from that time. They frequently made excursions together on foot or horseback, and the vicomte sought every opportunity of meeting Clement with an eagerness the latter sometimes reproached himself for not responding to with more warmth. He relied, therefore, on a cordial reception, and, in fact, as soon as he was announced, he was taken into a small room next the _chancellerie_, where M. de Noisy passed the greater part of his time. He found him seated at a table covered with papers. Before Clement had time to utter a word, the young attaché exclaimed, without leaving his place: “Have you come with news? or to get some?” “What a question! You know well our commercial agents are never able to rival the speed of the bearers of political despatches.” “And yet it happens sometimes.” “But not this time, unfortunately. The Russian legation has just received a despatch from St. Petersburg dated the twenty‐sixth.” “So we have just heard. It came in an incredibly short time. I fear ours will not do as well. And yet the French embassy at St. Petersburg is not often caught napping.” Some one rang furiously. A hussar opened the door and made a sign to the vicomte, who sprang forward. “The courier!” he exclaimed. “Bravo! Vive l’ambassadeur! To be only one hour behind the Russian courier is wonderful! Here, _mon cher_, are some cigars. Take the arm‐chair and wait till I return. I shall soon be back, and will bring you the news.”