The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-22 00:00:00

- Some critics in taste might have considered her display
of diamonds for a morning toilette not commendable, but
Lady B. had finely-shaped white hands, every taper finger
which merited the three or four decorations that had been
bestowed upon it. Her well-shaped ears, her well-shaped
throat, had at least equal claims upon the foreign aid of
ornament. With such demands upon her, and with so
well-furnished a jewel-case, her ladyship must have been
more or less of a woman of fashion had she cultivated sim-
plicity of dress at any period beyond the hours devoted to
repose.
Lady 8., for the present, like her mirror, seemed to be
exercising no other powers than those of reflection. She
sat quiet and self-absorbed, devoting herself to the consi-
deration of the subject that was uppermost in her mind.
She thought of the visitor she expected, she thought of
what she should say to him, and she thought of what he
was likely to say to her.\ Her object was to gain informa-
tion which she could not acquire through any other chan-
nel, and sho was well aware that unusual skill would be
required to extract it from such a source. Her confidence
in herself was very great. She was called upon to play a
difficult game with an unrivalled player, but rested content
on the conviction that she should hold capital cards, and
was sure to play them admirably. In short, she felt her-
self mistress of the situation.

While sho was intently cogitating on the coming man,
and the manner of her dealing with him, the outer door of
tho large apartment was suddenly thrown open, and tho
groom of tho chambers, in a mellow, sonorous voice, com-
bining a sense of dignity with a feeling of profound re-
spect, announced—
" His EXCELLENCY PRINCE TALLEYRAND!"

Presently there slowly entered the saloon a stout old
man, with long white hair, walking with a perceptible halt
_ _ _ _

in his gait, while his broad chest, his massive chin half-
buried in the folds of an enormous neck-cloth, and his
wide shoulders indicated the extraordinary physical
strength that must have once characterised his stooping,
shambling, ungainly figure.
It was natural that decay should show itself in his
bodily powers. It was between fifty and sixty years since
he had attended the coronation of Louis XVL as the Abb6
de Perigord ; it was 52 years since he had held the ecclesi-
astical rank of Bishop of Autun ; it was nearly 40 years
since he bad ceased to be a prelate, and became an ambas-
sador to the Court of England, since he had saved the head
his mitre had placed in jeopardy during the horrors of the
French Revolution, and visited England for tho second
time. It was more than thirty years since he had been
nominated Foreign Minister under the Directory, and sub-
sequently gaining the favour of Buonaparte, had become
his principal diplomatist and adviser in questions of foreign
policy. It was twenty-three years since he had been raised
by Napoleon to the dignity of Prince of Benevento ; it
was sixteen years since he had represented the reduced
authority of Louis XVIII. at the Congress of Vienna ; and
now this marvellous old man at throe score and sixteen
possessed power enough to settle another branch of

the Bourbons on the throne of France, and had come
to represent his august master " the King of the Barri-
cades" at the Court of the most friendly and the most
dreaded of his allies.

Looking at his mild, stolid physiognomy, as ho slowly
approached his hostess in an unassuming ordinary morn-
ing costume, hat in one hand and stick in the other,
bending as if through courtesy rather than infirmity,
who could believe that' he had survived two sanguinary
revolutions, and had been an influential agent in both
—had been the friend of Mirabeau and the colleague of
Fouchd, and the principal supporter of the Republic, the
the Empire, the restored Monarchy—of a second Republic
and of a second restoration, with a new sovereign " elected
by the people ?''

I shall spare the reader a description of the greetings
that passed between Lady B. and her illustrious visitor.
He will be so good as to imagine them seated in the
fauteuils opposite each other, the gentleman leaning on his
stick, and turning his peering eyes, that lay half concealed
under a pair of shaggy white eyebrows, listlessly here and
there, repeating 'the ordinary small courtesies no well-
bred Frenchman omits when coming into the presence
of a lady ; apparently giving no attention to anything
whatever, yet taking in at a glance the glass room in
which he had found himself, and the purpose for which
it must have been erected. Involuntarily he drew the
thick lips of his largo mouth closer together, sunk his big
chin into his capacious cravat, and looked with an air of
intense simplicity into the fair face of his elaborately got-
up hostess.
Lady B. had paused in the delivery of her civil nothings.
In fancy, perhaps, she was dealing out the cards for the
interesting game she was bent on playing. If so, this was
soon accomplished. She presently placed her hands on
her in a way that disclosed to view the beauties of her
taper le7fingers. Her companion did not take any notice—at
least, did not seem to do so Lady B. cleared her throat ;
she was evidently going to speak—that is, to play—and
looked like one about to commence playing for a groat
stake. Her companion, whom I may as well call her ad-
versary, seemed to divine that something was coming. On
the shrivelled parchment that did duty for his face, a set
of wrinkles followed each other from the top of his forehead
to the roots of his shaggy eyebrows, and a fitful smile
came out of the corners of his twinkling eyes, and played
about the curve of his heavy mouth.

was a question that
" Prince," said Lady B. in a stage whisper, "now do
looked perplexed,
tell me what you think of the Balance of Power ?"
"The Balance of Power," ho repeated deliberately, as
o
though to himself—" what should I think about it ? Par-
don thoughllueir es
duodndleyn consideration.il ny al solikgehdt degree.ne thoughtful;pre s
e n ti
lt
y
don ! I do not take the interest in such things I did
when I was more fond of amusement."

Lady B. opened her blue eyes very wide.
" The stage is a delightful gratification," continued her
your Sheridan."
exclaimed her ladyship in
companion in the same tone, and with the same manner,
amazement.,,
ha "especiallyks p 8 savriot ha
nydo usrhSe
ibiadkasnprr e and

" Ah! I knew Monsieur Sheridan when I was hero with
Chauvelin, and since," observed the old man.
The lady looked at him attentively, but the face be-
pressive than that of a
Iccellency mean ?" she
lfaorrgee hercod
-fish as
hs n
vmhuacth
camnoyre(merxE
inquired.

" Pardon ! tho Balance of Power. Did you not ask my
opinion ?" he demanded in his turn.
" Certainly, Prince."
" Then, my lady, I pay I bee your favourite comedian

"Nor can mine." Then scratching his nose once more,
he added, significantly, " As one of your popular writers
has so well observed, much may be said on both sides ;'
but as this has already been admirably expressed by your
ladyship's friends, why should I weary you with my tedi-
ous repetition ? I agree with everybody. There is no-
thing new to advance."
Her ladyship felt that she had lost a trick, though she
could not clearly understand how. She saw, however,
that she must go on with the game, and thought that the
most prudent course she could take was to finesse. She
therefore began a very confidential conversation about the
younger Bourbons, delicately intimating her desire to know
the secret machinery that had been employed to lop off the
elder branch, and leave the other flourishing in its place.
It is scarcely possible to describe how the wrinkles tra-
velled up and drown, how the chin rose and sunk, and how
the sighs and exclamations followed each other, as the great
diplomatist became aware of his hostess's meaning.
Having heard all that she seemed inclined to say on that
particular point, interspersed with confidential opinions
from various influential sources, his venerable face sud-
denly assumed an expression—his heavy features lighting
up apparently with some unusually strong feeling.
"Ah !" he exclaimed in a kind of subdued enthusiasm,
"how you English ladies astonish me! I am amazed at
the wonderful inclination I observe in you for the consi-
deration of the most difficult questiore. Mothers and wives
forget their nurseries, forget their husbands, indeed, not
unfrequently, forget themselves, to enter into inquiries of
some profound policy that the wisest men find it almost
impossible to comprehend. Really you must excuse me ;
I am quite unprepared to discuss such delicate subjects.
But if you like, I will venture to offer some suggestions as
to the best method of administering to your charming little
family manna and magnesia, castor-oil—whatever you
please!"

The veteran again scratched his nose, and sunk his chin
into the bottomless pit of his cravat, with an air of mingled
simplicity and interest that defies my powers of description.
Lady B. paused—seemed puzzled—then, with true
feminine perseverance, continued the game ; but almost
every card she played passed over to the other side of the
table. She lost, as a matter of course. She need not have
averred, like the French King after the conflict at Pavia,
that all was lost except honour, for hers had never been
in jeopardy; but when the Prince rose from the unequal
contest, the result of the game ought to have satisfied her
ladyship that she was not quite the skilful player she had
thought herself.
The Highland Society of London,

--.l^-

The annual festival of the members and friends
of this society took place yesterday at the Free-
masons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-
fields, to celebrate the anniversary of the battle of
Alexandria—his Grace the Duke of Manchester in
the chair.

The announcement had been put forth to the effect
that survivors among the officers of the army and
navy who served in the expedition in Egypt under
Sir Ralph Abercromby were invited to attend this
commemoration as the guests of the society ; but it
appeared that the only visitors present who were
able to claim this distinction were the Marquis
of Westmeath and Capt. Forbes, R.N. There
were present, besides these two distinguished
veterans, Lord Campbell, Sir Robert Colquhoun,
Sir Patrick Colquhoun, Colonel Pitcairn, Major
Alison, Major M'Leay, Captain Cary, &c.
The CHAIRMAN, having given the usual toast of
" Her Majesty," and " The Prince and Princess of
Wales, with the rest of the Royal Family," proposed
in due course "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers."
The toast was responded to by able representa-
tives of each of the services, including Captain
FORBES, R.N., who, in returning thanks on behalf
of the navy, said he was approaching his 90th year,
and the long experience he had enjoined bad taught
him to believe that the great deeds which had been
achieved on the sea in times gone by would be fol-
lowed up in days to come. The energetic manner
in which this gallant veteran (who kept his seat
while speaking) expressed his sentiments in regard
to the scenes he had witnessed, and the confidence
he had in the future career of the navy of this
country, formed a novel feature in entertainments
of this description, and excited a peculiar satisfac-
tion amongst the auditory, who cheered enthusi-
astically when the hale old gentleman concluded his
speech by observing that, while he emphatically
acknowledged the good that had been done by the
navy, all he could do now was to shoulder his crutch
and show how fights were won. •

The CIIAIR3I,.AN, in proposing a toast to the
memory of Sir Ralph Abercromby and the heroes
who fell with him in Egypt, made a few brief allu-
sions to some of the interesting features of the
battle of Alexandria, and said it was a source of
great gratification to think that two of the heroes
of that victory were present on the occasion.
The toast having been drunk in solemn silence,
Sir R. CoLQuHoux proposed " The Survivors of
the Victory of Alexandria," coupling with the toast
the name of the Marquis of Westmeath, who, it ap-
peared was, at the time of the memorable battle (65
years ago) a subaltern in the Guards.
The Marquis of IVESTMEATII returned thanks in
language expressing the gratitude he felt at the com-
pliment which had now been paid to him, and for
the mercy which he had received in being spared to
be present at this anniversary, after the lapse of so
many years.

This toast was followed, in rapid succession, by
" Chiefs and Clans,"" The Ladies," " Highlanders,
shoulder to shoulder," " The Sword and Banner,"
and " Pipe and Plaid."

These various toasts were respectively received
with those vigorous manifestations which are pecu-
liar to Highland honours, and the intervals between
the delivery of the several speeches were filled up by
performances on the bagpipes by the Queen's piper,
and the boys of the Royal Caledonian Asylum.
The entertainment on the whole passed off with
very decided success—a result which was certainly
to be attributed, in some measure, to the satisfactory
character of the banquet.

By adviccs from Hamburg the price of gold is 424 per mark
and the short exchange on London is 13.4 a per £1 stcrlin—
Standard gold at the English Mint price is, thereore, at
about the pame price itt Loudon and Hambttrg.