My number was twelve; and when it was called out I went to the door leading to the audience-room, and was in the act of entering, when a tall, lanky fellow, coming up quickly from behind, pushed me aside, and thrust himself before me into the room. I was in no good humour at the time, and I have no doubt looked bent on resenting this impertinent act; but before I could reach out my hand to turn this young fellow round and ask for an explanation, Colonel Airey stepped up between us, and said, “Captain Lakeman, let me beg of you to wait for a few minutes outside, for I have some words of importance to communicate to this gentleman.” I felt but little inclined to accede to this wish, and explained that I had as yet no apology for what had taken place. He said he would give me that himself, and again begged me kindly to wait outside. To this, after some demur, I consented, for I could not readily conceive what prevented the young man in question from giving an excuse for his rudeness, assuming that he had one to offer; so I said, as he was looking from the Colonel to me, open-mouthed, without saying a word, “If this gentleman is a foreigner, and cannot speak English, let the matter rest for the moment,” and thereupon I left the room. I stayed, kicking my heels for some time outside, strongly tempted to leave, for I felt instinctively nothing good was likely to result from the proposed interview; but I thought of the kind-hearted Duke, and to oblige him I remained. At length my number was called again, and upon entering, the Colonel was most off-handed in his communications. “You see, Captain Lakeman,” he said, “the times are looking dark in the East, as you no doubt are aware, and coming events cast their shadows before: much anxiety is felt at the Horse Guards. I have some doubts myself as to whether I shall not throw down the pen and take up the sword. You see blood will tell, and that young gentleman, who I must say behaved rather abruptly towards you, came also to offer his services at this critical time.” I said, “May I ask you, Colonel, the name of that young man?” “Oh dear me, yes!” he said; “it was Viscount Forth. You see, Captain Lakeman,” he added, “that in times such as these we want the back-bone of the nation, the English aristocracy, to come to the front.” (By a curious coincidence this _back-bone_ of the nation did come to the front in the Crimea, in the very first engagement he was in, for he showed it instead of his chest to the Russians as he bolted to Balaklava.) “And I have just presented to him a commission. Now please let me know, Captain Lakeman, what I can do for you.” I was turning over in my mind what answer to give to this polite inquiry, when this usually taciturn military secretary, in seemingly overflowing spirits, burst out again, with a wave of the hand--