'fifteen men could scarce get him 'out; but the portmanteau, where I had unfortunately put your clothes, 'could never be found: it must be at 'least a league under ground.'

This, Sire, continued the Cheva'lier de Grammont, is the adventure, ' and the relation which this honest

gentleman has given me of it. I 'should certainly have killed him, but 'I was afraid of making Miss Hamil'ton wait, and I was desirous of giving your Majesty immediate advice of the quicksand, that your couriers may take care to avoid it.'

gin The King was ready to split his sides with laughing, when the Chevalier de Grammont resuming the discourse: 'à propos, Sire, I had forgot to 'tell you, that to increase my ill hu'mour, I was stopped, as I was getting

"out of my chair, by a devil of a phantom in masquerade, who would by 'all means persuade me, that the Queen had commanded me to dance with her; and as I excused myself with the 'least rudeness possible, she charged 'me to find out who was to be her 'partner, and desired me to send him 'to her immediately: so that your Ma'jesty will do well to give orders about it; for she has placed herself in ambush in a coach, to seize upon all those who pass through Whitehall. However, I must tell you, that it is 'worth while to see her dress; for she 'must have at least sixty ells of gauze

and silver tissue about her, not to

* mention a sort of pyramid upon her

head, adorned with a hundred thou"sand baubles.'

This last account surprised all the assembly, except those who had a share

in the plot. The Queen assured them, that all she had appointed for the ball were present; and the King, having paused some minutes: I bet,' said he, 'that it is the Duchess of Newcastle.'

And I,' said Lord Muskerry, coming

6

up to Miss Hamilton, will bet it is another fool; for I am very much mistaken if it is not my wife.'

The King was for sending to know who it was, and to bring her in: Lord Muskerry offered himself for that service, for the reason already mentioned; and it was very well he did so. Miss Hamilton was not sorry for this, knowing very well that he was not mistaken in his conjecture: the jest would have gone much further than she intended, if the Princess of Babylon had appeared in all her glory.

The ball was not very well executed, if one may be allowed the ex-,