the palace through the of the high court official who presented us we got a good place among the most distinguished and during our brief wait i was considerably amused by the study of their faces and attitudes some of the men looked nervous � others conceited one or two radical themselves with an air as if they and they alone were to be honoured for allowing to hold these functions at all a few gentlemen had evidently their e dress in haste and carelessness for the pieces of paper in which their steel or gilt coat buttons had been wrapped by the tailor to prevent were still discovering this fortunately before it was too late they occupied themselves by taking off these papers and casting them on the floor � an process at best and one that made them look singularly ridiculous and each man present turned to stare at his striking personality attracted universal attention when we at last entered the throne room and took our places in line was careful to arrange that my brilliant companion should go up before me as i had a strong desire to see what sort of an effect his appearance would produce on the royal party i had an excellent view of the prince of wales from where i myself waited he made an imposing and figure enough in full uniform with his various orders glittering on his broad breast and the singular resemblance discovered by many people in him to henry viii struck me more forcibly than i should have thought possible his face however expressed a far greater good humour than the pictured of the capricious but ever bluff king the sorrows of satan � though on this occasion there was a certain shade of melancholy even on his brow which gave a firmer character to his naturally features � a shadow as i fancied of weariness tempered with regret � the look of one dissatisfied yet resigned a man of possibilities he seemed to me � of defeated aims and will few of the other members of the royal family surrounding him on the possessed the remarkable attraction he had for any observant student of � most of them were or assumed to be stiff military figures merely who bent their heads as each guest filed past with an regularity neither pleasure interest nor but the heir apparent to the greatest empire in the world expressed in his very attitude and looks an unaffected and courteous welcome to all � surrounded as he was and as such in his position must ever be by who would never run the least risk to their own lives to serve him unless they could get something personally satisfactory out of him his presence impressed itself upon me as suggestive of but none the less resolute power i cannot even now explain the singular of mind that seized me as our turn to be presented arrived � i saw my companion advance and heard the lord announce his name prince and then � why then it seemed as if all the movement in the brilliant room suddenly came to a pause every eye was fixed on the stately form and noble countenance of my friend as he bowed with such and grace as made all other seem awkward by comparison for one moment he stood absolutely still in front of the royal facing the prince as though he sought to impress him with the fact of his presence there � and across the broad stream of sunshine which had been pouring into the room throughout the ceremony there fell the sudden shadow of a passing cloud a fleeting impression of gloom and silence chilled the atmosphere � a singular the sorrows of satan appeared to hold all eyes fixed on and not a man either going or coming moved this intense hush was brief as it was curious and impressive � the prince of wales started slightly and gazed at the superb figure before him with an expression of eager curiosity and almost as if he were ready to break the bonds of etiquette and speak � then himself with an evident effort he gave his usual dignified acknowledgment of s profound reverence whereupon my comrade passed on slightly smiling i followed next � but naturally made no impression beyond the fact of exciting a smothered whisper from among the lesser who caught the name tempest and at once murmured the magic words five millions � words which reached my ears and moved me to the usual weary contempt which was with me growing into a malady we were soon out of the palace and while waiting for our carriage in the covered court yard entrance i touched on the arm you made a veritable sensation did i he laughed you flatter me not at all why did you stop so long in front of the to please my humour he returned indifferently and partly to give his royal the chance of remembering me the next time he sees me but he seemed to recognise you i said have you met him before his eyes flashed often but i have never till now made a public appearance at st james s court costume and company manners make a difference to the looks of most men � and i doubt � yes i very much doubt whether even with his excellent memory for faces the prince really knew me to day for what i am the sorrows of satan xvii it must have been about a week or ten days after the e that i had the strange scene with i am about to relate a scene that left a painful impression on my mind and should have been sufficient to warn me of impending trouble to come had i not been too to accept any that ill to myself arriving at lord s house one evening and ascending the stairs to the 