“As his last words sounded the death-knell of all my fondly air-built castles, I became apprised of a fact that had heretofore escaped my notice; and this was, that, for the last ten minutes, a mounted groom, having a led horse in hand, had stood patiently waiting under a large tree at the south-eastern terminus of our promenade. As the old man placed the sealed paper in my hand, this groom advanced and assisted his master to mount, and, as soon as he was firmly seated in the saddle, they both gave rein and spur, and, urging the steeds into a round gallop, both horsemen were out of sight before I could recover from the stupor of surprise into which the proceeding had thrown me.” CHAPTER III. NOW COMES THE MYSTERY--A MAN GOES IN A CAB IN SEARCH OF HIS OWN GHOST. “Perhaps three minutes elapsed before a full recovery took place, and, at the end of that period, I had come to the conclusion not to be baulked in quite such a cavalier style, but to seek and obtain one more interview, come what might therefrom. With this intention, I dashed along the hill-side, and at full speed through the principal thoroughfare of Belleville, till I reached the barrière leading into the Rue Faubourg du Temple, where, calling a cabriolet, I ordered the driver to land me in the Rue Michel le Compte--where, a few hours previously, I had dined with Ravalette--in the shortest possible space of time. “A curious thing took place while giving my orders to the driver. It was this: Everybody knows that, at any of the barrières leading from Paris, a large crowd of blouses, men and of office, women and children of the lower orders, may, in fair or foul weather, always be found--loiterers, having nothing to do, apparently, except to lounge about, to see and be seen. Such a crowd I found at the barrière, and amidst it I noticed a _bonné_, or nurse, having in charge three beautiful children, one of whom, a lad of seven years, appeared to take an unusual interest in myself, doubtless observing that I was in a great hurry to accomplish something. This child, as it saw me, ran to the nurse, and said, ‘_Ma bonné_, Franchette, what’s the matter with the gentleman? Is he sick? What makes him look so queer?’ “‘Hush, child,’ said the woman in reply; ‘that gentleman is in search of what he won’t find this long time!’ “‘What is that, Franchette?’ “‘That gentleman is in search of _his own ghost_, _mes enfants_!’ replied the nurse, as the children clustered around her to hear the answer. “‘_Ma foi!_’ echoed the crowd of idlers, as they caught the woman’s words--whether spoken in jest or seriously I cannot say--‘_Ma foi!_ the gentleman takes a cab to go in search of his own ghost!’ And the cab drove off as these words were echoed by a hundred tongues.