CHAPTER III.

THIS,' said Matta, smells strongly ' of romance, except that it should 'have been your Squire's part to tell your adventures.' True,' said the 'Chevalier; however, I may acquaint 'you with my first exploits without 'offending my modesty; besides, my Squire's style borders too much upon the burlesque for an heroic narra'tive.

'You must know then, that upon 'my arrival at Lyons'-Is it thus you begin, said Matta? Pray give us your history a little farther back, the most minute particulars of a life like yours are worthy of relation; but above all, the manner in which you first paid your respects to Cardinal Richlieu: I

have often laughed at it. I dispense however, with the relation of your juvenile exploits, your genealogy, name and quality of your ancestors, for these are subjects with which you must be utterly unacquainted.

Poh!' said the Chevalier, you 'jest with a very bad grace, you 'believe that every one is as ignorant as yourself;-you think that I am a stranger to the Mendores and 'the Corisandes. So, perhaps I don't know, that it was my father's own 'fault that he was not the son of

Henry IV. The king would by all 'means have acknowledged him for 'his son, but the cross-grained fellow 'would never consent to it. See what 'the Grammonts would have been now, 'but for his obstinacy! They would have had precedence of the Cæsars

'de Vendôme. You may laugh, if you like, yet it is as true as the gospel: but let us come to the point.

'I was sent to the college of Pau, ' with the intention of being brought up to the church; but as I had quite 'different views, I made no manner ' of improvement: play was so much. in my head, that both my tutor and 'the masters lost their Latin in en'deavouring to teach it me. Old Bri'non, who served me both as valet'de-chambre and governor, in vain 'threatened to acquaint my mother. 'I only studied when I pleased, that ' is to say, seldom or never: however, 'I was treated as is customary with 'scholars of my quality; I was raised 'to all the dignities of the class, ' without having deserved them, and 'left college nearly in the same state in which I entered it; nevertheless,

'I was thought to have as much knowledge as was requisite for the ab'bacy, which my brother had solicited

for me. He had just married the 'niece of a minister, to whom every

one cringed: he was desirous to pre

'sent me to him. I felt but little e

gret at quitting the country, and great 'impatience to see Paris. My brother 'having kept me some time with him, in order to polish me, let me loose upon the town to shake off my rustic

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air, and learn the manners of the ⚫ world. I so thoroughly acquired them, ' that I could not be persuaded to lay • them aside when I was introduced at court in the character of an Abbé. You know what kind of dress was 'then in fashion. All that they could 'obtain of me was to put a cassock ' over my other clothes, and my bro

ther, ready to die with laughing at

I my ecclesiastical dress, made others 'laugh too. I had the finest head of 'hair in the world, well curled and 'powdered, above my cassock, and 'under were white buskins and gilt spurs. The Cardinal, who had a 'quick discernment, could not help laughing. This elevation of senti'ment gave him umbrage; and he 'foresaw what might be expected 'from a genius that already laughed ' at the shaven crown and cowl.

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When my brother had taken me 'home; well, my little parson, said 'he, you have acted your part to ad miration, and your party-coloured 'dress of the ecclesiastic and soldier has greatly diverted the court; but this is not all: you must now choose, 'my little knight. Consider then, ⚫ whether it is not more desirable, by 'sticking to the church, to become