“He is waiting for your Ladyship at the foot of the stairs with another gentleman,” said the servant. “That must be Massingbred, for I told them to call him,” said the Captain. When Lady Dorothea, supported by the arm of her son, had reached the gate, she found Martin and Massingbred standing to receive them, surrounded by a numerous escort of servants, each loaded with some portion of the family baggage. “A hasty summons, sir,” said she, addressing Massingbred, and thus abruptly avoiding the awkwardness of a more ceremonious meeting. “A few hours back none of us anticipated anything like this. Will it end seriously, think you?” “There is every prospect of such, madam,” said he, bowing respectfully to her salutation. “Every moment brings fresh tidings of defection among the troops, while the Marshal is paralyzed by contradictory orders.” “Is it always to be the fate of monarchy to be badly served in times of peril?” said she, bitterly. “It is very difficult to awaken loyalty against one's convictions of right, madam. I mean,” added he, as a gesture of impatience broke from her, “that these acts of the king, having no support from his real friends, are weak stimulants to evoke deeds of daring and courage.” “They are unworthy supporters of a Crown who only defend what they approve of. This is but Democracy at best, and smacks of the policy which has little to lose and everything to gain by times of trouble.” “And yet, madam, such cannot be the case here; at least, it is assuredly not so in the instance of him who is now speaking with Miss Henderson.” And he pointed to a man who, holding the bridle of his horse on his arm, walked slowly at Kate's side in the street before the door. “And who is he?” asked she, eagerly. “The greatest banker in Paris, madam,--one of the richest capitalists of Europe,--ready to resign all his fortune in the struggle against a rule which he foresees intended to bring back the days of a worn-out, effete monarchy, rather than a system which shall invigorate the nation, and enrich it by the arts of commerce and trade.” “But his name--who is he?” asked she, more impatiently. “Charles Lagrange, madam.” “I have heard the name before. I have seen it somewhere lately,” said she, trying to remember where and how. “You could scarcely have paid your respects at Neuilly, madam, without seeing him. He was, besides, the favored guest at Madame de Mirecourt's.” “You would not imply, sir, that the Duchess condescended to any sympathy with this party?” “More than half the Court, madam, are against the Crown; I will not say, however, that they are, on that account, for the people.” “There! she is making a sign to us to follow her,” said Martin, pointing towards Kate, who, still conversing with her companion, motioned to the others to come up. “It is from that quarter we receive our orders,” said Lady Dorothea, sneeringly, as she prepared to follow.