somebody, though. It must be. And he wants me. Oh, what shall I do ?" "What! saved your life? Why, my precious child, what are you talking about? It was the You need not go. Aunty will Italian that saved your life, you know, not see him, and send him off." this one." "Nonsense! "Oh, I do so hope he'll go; but I'm afraid he won't." After a short time Lady Dalrymple returned. "Really," said she, "this is a most extraordinary person. He speaks English, but not at all like an Englishman. I don't know who he is. He calls himself a Baron, but he doesn't seem to be a foreigner. I'm puzzled." "I hope he's gone," said Mrs. Willoughby. "No-that's the worst of it. He won't go. He says he must see Minnie, and he won't tell his errand. I told him that he could not see you, but that I would tell you what he wanted, and that you were not at home. And what do you think he said?" "I'm sure I don't know, Dowdy dear." Why, he said he had nothing to do, and would wait till you came back. And he took his seat in a way that showed that he meant to wait. Really, I'm quite at a loss what to do. You'll have to see him, Kitty dear." "What a strange person!" said Mrs. Willoughby. "It's so rude. And don't you know what he is? How do you know he isn't an Italian ?" “Oh, his English, you know. He speaks it perfectly, but not like an Englishman, you know, nor like a Scotchman either, or an Irishman. I wonder whether he may not be an American ?" At this Minnie started. "Oh, but he did too," said Minnie, despairingly. "I couldn't help it. He would do it. Papa was washed away. I wish they all wouldn't be so horrid." Lady Dalrymple looked in an equally despairing manner at Mrs. Willoughby. "What is it, Kitty dear? Is the child insane, or what does she mean? How could this person have saved her life?" "That's just what distracts me," said Minnie. "They all do it. Every single person comes and saves my life. And now I suppose I must go down and see this person." "Well, really, since you say he saved your life, perhaps it would be as well not to be uncivil," said Lady Dalrymple; "but, at the same time, he seems to me to act in a very extraordinary manner. And he calls himself a Baron. Do they have nobles in America ?" "I'm sure I don't know, Dowdy dear. I never knew that he was a Baron. He may have been the son of some American Baron; and-and- I'm sure I don't know." "Nonsense, Minnie dear," said Mrs. Willoughby. "This man's title is a foreign one. He probably obtained it in Italy or Spain, or perhaps Mexico. I think they have titles in Mexico, though I really don't know." "Why, of course, one isn't expected to know any thing about America," said Lady Dalrymple. "I can mention quite a number of English statesmen, members of the cabinet, and Oh dear! what will be- others, who don't know any more about America than I do." "Oh dear!" she said. "An American! come of me!" "Why," said Lady Dalrymple, "do know him, then, after all?" "Oh, I'm so afraid that I know him!" "Who is it, dear?" "Oh, Dowdy! Oh, Kitty!" "What's the matter?" you "Do you really intend to go down yourself and see him, Minnie dear?" asked Mrs. Willoughby. "How can I help it? must go, Kitty darling. and-and he insists so. What am I to do? I "It must be that man. Oh, was there ever his feelings, you know; and I really think there such a trouble-" "Really, Minnie dearest, you are allowing yourself to get too agitated. Who is this person ?" "He-he's-an-American." "An American? Why, I just said that I thought he might be one. I didn't know that you were acquainted with any." "Oh yes; I did get acquainted with some in -in Canada." "Oh; and is this man a Canadian ?" "No, Dowdy darling; only an American." “Well, if he's a friend of yours, I suppose you know something about him. But how singular it is that you have so completely forgotten his name. Atramonte? Why, I'm sure it's a very singular name for an American gentleman--at least it seems so to me-but I don't know much about them, you know. Tell me, darling, who is he?" "He-he saved my life." is nothing for me to do but to go. What do you think about it, Dowdy dear?" and she appealed to her aunt. "Well, Minnie, my child, I think it would be best not to be unkind or uncivil, since he saved your life." Upon this Minnie accompanied her sister to see the visitor. Mrs. Willoughby entered the room first, and Minnie was close behind her, as though she sought protection from some unknown peril. On entering the room they saw a man dressed in Zouave uniform. His hair was cropped short; he wore a mustache and no beard; his features were regular and handsome; while a pair of fine dark eyes were looking earnestly at the door, and the face and the eyes had the expression of one who is triumphantly awaiting the result of some agreeable surprise. Mrs. Willoughby at once recognized the stranger as the Zouave officer who had stared at them near the Church of the Jesuits. She advanced with | so it was. Well, they promoted me, and wanted me to stay. But I couldn't fix it. I had business off home, and was on my way there the time of the shipwreck. Well, I've been dodgin' all round every where since then, but Mrs. Willoughby started back in horror. never forgettin' little Min, mind you, and at Minnie did not resist, nor did she scream, or last I found myself here, all right. I'd been faint, or do any thing. She only looked a little speculatin' in wines and raisins, and just dropped confused, and managed to extricate herself, aft- in here to take pot-luck with some old Zouave er which she took a seat as far away as she friends, when, darn me! if they didn't make could, putting her sister between her and the me stay. It seems there's squally times ahead. Zouave. But the Zouave's joy was full, and They wanted a live man. They knew I was he didn't appear to notice it. He settled him- that live man. They offered me any thing I self in a chair, and laughed loud in his happi-wanted. They offered me the title of Baron ness. "Only to think of it," said he. "Why, I had no more idea of your being here, Minnie, than Victory. Well, here you see me. Only been here a couple of months or so. You got my last favor, of course? And ain't you regular knocked up to see me a Baron? Yes, a Baron -a real, live Baron! I'll tell you all about it. You see I was here two or three years ago-the time of Mentana-and fought on the Pope's side. Odd thing, too, wasn't it, for an American? But Atramonte. That knocked me, I tell you. Says I, I'm your man. So now you see me Baron Atramonte, captain in the Papal Zouaves, ready to go where glory waits me-but fonder than ever of little Min. Oh, I tell you what, I ain't a bit of a brag, but I'm some here. The men think I'm a little the tallest lot in the shape of a commander they ever did see. When I'm in Rome I do as the Romans do, and so I let fly at them a speech every now and then. Why, I've gone through nearly the whole National Speaker' by this time. I've given them Marcellus's speech to the mob, Brutus's to the Romans, and Antony's over Cæsar's dead body. I tried a bit of Cicero against Catiline, but I couldn't remember it very well. You know it, of course. Quousque tandem, you know. "Well, Min, how goes it?" he continued. "This is jolly; and, what's more, it's real good in you-darn me if it ain't! I knew you'd be regularly struck up all of a heap when you heard of me as a Baron, but I really didn't think you'd come all the way here to see me. And you do look stunning! You do beat all! And this lady? You haven't introduced me, you know." The Baron rose, and looked expectantly at Mrs. Willoughby, and then at Minnie. The latter faltered forth some words, among which the Baron caught the names Mrs. Willoughby and Rufus K. Gunn, the latter name pronounced, with the middle initial and all, in a queer, prim way. sume. "Mrs. Willoughby-ah!--Min's sister, I preWell, I'm pleased to see you, ma'am. Do you know, ma'am, I have reason to remember your name? It's associated with the brightest hours of my life. It was in your parlor, ma'am, that I first obtained Min's promise of her hand. Your hand, madam." And, stooping down, he grasped Mrs. Willoughby's hand, which was not extended, and wrung it so hard that she actually gave a little shriek. "For my part, ma'am," he continued, "I'm not ashamed of my name-not a mite. It's a good, honest name; but being as the Holy Father's gone and made me a noble, I prefer being addressed by my title. All Americans are above titles. They despise them. But being in Rome, you see, we must do as the Romans do; and so you needn't know me as Rufus K. Gunn, but as the Baron Atramonte. As for you, Min-you and I won't stand on ceremony -you may call me 'Roof,' or any other name you fancy. I would suggest some pet namesomething a little loving, you know." In the midst of all this, which was poured forth with extreme volubility, the servant came and handed a card. "Count Girasole." THE THREE SHIPS. Mighty the forests, old and gray, Semblance of castle and arch and shrine And we watched for the warder, stern and grim, Till, when the young moon soared on high, Like the flame in the heart of a ruby set Steadily, silently, on they pressed Until, on the far horizon's fold, Where Care clasped hands with grimy Toil, Ye were bearing thither a world of dreams, Ye were bearing hence to that mystic sphere Songs that on earth may not be sung- The golden deeds that we would have done- And hence it was that our souls with you XVIII.-LIFE'S CLOSING SCENES. NOWARD the end of the year 1775 the king Thad an unusually severe attack of the gout. well. Amidst much ridicule, the troops returned to their old quarters.' Frederick was probably not surprised at this It was erroneously reported that it was a danger- act on the part of the emperor. He undoubtous attack of the dropsy, and that he was man-edly had sufficient candor to admit that it was ifestly drawing near to his end. The crown exactly what he should have done under simiprince, who was to succeed him, was a man of lar circumstances. very little character. The emperor of Germany, Joseph II., thought the death of Frederick would present him an opportunity of regaining Silesia for Austria. The Austrian army was immediately put in motion and hurried to the frontiers of Silesia, to seize the province the moment the king should expire. This was openly done, and noised abroad. Much to the disappointment of the emperor, the king got Catherine of Russia had a son, Paul, her heir to the throne. It so chanced that she died just at the time prince Henry of Prussia was visiting St. Petersburg. Through his agency Paul was induced to take as a second wife a niece of Frederick's, the eldest daughter of Eugene of Würtemberg. Thus the ties between Russia 1 Euvres de Frédéric, vi. 124. and Prussia were still more strengthened, so | farther interesting as brother to lieutenant-genfar as matrimonial alliances could strengtheneral Von Görtz, a respectable soldier of Fredthem. The wedding took place in Berlin on erick's. Ex-tutor at Weimar, we say, and idle the 18th of October, 1776. for the moment; hanging about court there, till he should find a new function. Several years now passed away with nothing specially worthy of record. Frederick did not grow more amiable as he advanced in years. Though Frederick was often unreasonable, petulant, and unjust, and would seldom admit that he had been in the wrong, however clear the case, it can not be doubted that it was his general and earnest desire that justice should be exercised in all his courts. "Of this ex-tutor Frederick bethinks him; and in the course of that same day-for there is no delay-Frederick, who is at Berlin, beckons general Görtz to come over to him from Potsdam instantly. "Hither this evening, and in all privacy meet me in the palace at such an hour' (hour of midnight or thereby); which of course Görtz, In September, 1777, the king of Bavaria duly invisible to mankind, does. Frederick exdied. The emperor thought it a good oppor-plains: an errand to München; perfectly secret, tunity to annex Bavaria to Austria. "Do but look on the map," says Carlyle, in his peculiar style of thought and expression: "you would say, Austria without Bavaria is like a human figure with its belly belonging to somebody else. Bavaria is the trunk or belly of the Austrian dominions, shutting off all the limbs of them each from the other; making for central part a huge chasm." France would hardly object, since she was exhausted with long wars. England was busy in the struggle with her North American colonies. Russia was at war with the Turks. There was no power to be feared but Prussia. "Frederick," said Kaunitz, "is old and broken. He can not live long. Having suffered so much, he has an absolute horror of war. We need not fear that he will again put his armies in motion." But no sooner did Frederick get an intimation that Austria was contemplating this enlargement of her domains than he roused himself to prevent it with all the vigor of his earlier years. It was a very delicate matter; for Charles Theodore, the elector, and his nephew August Christian, heir to the electorate, a young gentleman of very illustrious pedigree, but of a very slender purse, had both been bribed by Austria secretly to co-operate in the movement. The reader will be interested in Carlyle's account, slightly abbreviated, of Frederick's skill in diplomacy: "Heir is a gallant enough young gentleman. Frederick judges that he probably will have haggled to sign any Austrian convention for dismemberment of Baiern, and that he will start into life upon it so soon as he sees hope. "A messenger to him,' thinks Frederick; 'a messenger instantly; and who?' For that clearly is the first thing. And a delicate thing it is; requiring to be done in profoundest secrecy, by hint and innuendo rather than speech -by somebody in a cloak of darkness, who is of adroit quality, and was never heard of in diplomatic circles before, not to be suspected of having business of mine on hand. "Frederick bethinks him that in a late visit to Weimar he had noticed, for his fine qualities, a young gentleman named Görtz, late tutor to the young duke Karl August, a wise, firm, adroit-looking young gentleman, who was for the moment, and requiring great delicacy and address; perhaps not without risk, a timorous man might say: will your brother go for me, think you? Görtz thinks he will. "Here is his instruction, if so,' adds the king, handing him an autograph of the necessary outline of procedure-not signed, nor with any credential, or even specific address, lest accident happen. 'Adieu, then, herr general-lieutenant; rule is, shoes of swiftness, cloak of darkness: adieu!' "And Görtz senior is off on the instant, careering toward Weimar, where he finds Görtz junior, and makes known his errand. Görtz junior stares in the natural astonishment; but, after some intense brief deliberation, becomes affirmative, and in a minimum of time is ready and on the road. "Görtz junior proved to have been an excellent choice on the king's part; and came to good promotion afterward by his conduct in this affair. Görtz junior started for München on the instant, masked utterly, or his business masked, from profane eyes; saw this person, saw that, and glided swiftly about, swiftly and with sure aim; and speedily kindled the matter, and had smoke rising in various points. And before January was out, saw the ReischDiet, at Regensburg, much more the general gazetteerage every where, seized of this affair, and thrown into paroxysms at the size and complexion of it: saw, in fact, a world getting into flame-kindled by whom or what nobody could guess for a long time to come. Görtz had great running about in his cloak of darkness, and showed abundant talent of the kind needed. A pushing, clear-eyed, stout-hearted man; much cleverness and sureness in what he did and forebore to do. His adventures were manifold; he had much traveling about: was at Regensburg, at Mannheim; saw many persons whom he had to judge of on the instant, and speak frankly to, or speak darkly, or speak nothing; and he made no mistake. |