“Beaufort!” ejaculated Mr. Jefferson, and a slight frown gathered on his forehead.  “I fancy that Beaufort and his ilk will be amazed at many things shortly.  Ned, I warn you to beware of him.  He has changed greatly since the days when he fought so gallantly under Rochambeau in our great War of Independence.  He has become an aristocrat of aristocrats, a popinjay, a silken dandy, like most of the young nobles at this court.  He is high in the King’s favor and devoted to his cause.  Though your friendships and opinions can have no official weight, as you are my private secretary, still ’twere well to be careful, to be as neutral as possible, to occasion no offence.  And, indeed, Mr. Secretary,” he went on, shaking off his serious air and speaking in a lighter tone, “I should be instructing you in your duties, explaining the diplomatic situation to you, instead of discussing foolish young noblemen like Monsieur de Beaufort.”

“I shall remember your advice, Mr. Jefferson,” said Calvert, quietly, “and I am ready for any instructions and duties.”

“After all, ’twill be unwise to begin them this evening,” returned Mr. Jefferson, shaking his head.  “You are doubtless wearied with your journey, and we had better postpone your induction into office until to-morrow, when we can take the whole day for business.  You can have no idea, my dear Ned, of the numberless affairs put into our hands,” he went on, with a note of anxiety in his voice, “or with what difficulty many of them are arranged.  The constant change of ministers is most disconcerting among the many disconcerting factors of official existence here, and just now I am harassed by my non-success in getting from Congress an appropriation to pay bills for medals and for the redemption of our captives.  It seems that the interest on the Dutch loans until 1790 must be paid before other claims, which leaves but a small chance for those bills to be liquidated.  By the way, to-morrow you must write me a letter to Monsieur de Villedeuil a propos of a Mr. Nesbit and his debts—­an affair lately put into our care.  But there! no business this evening.  ’Tis but a short while before dinner, which you and I will take quite alone this evening, Ned, and you must tell me of yourself and what you have been doing all these years at the College of Princeton.”

Mr. Jefferson looked at the young man before him with such affectionate interest that Calvert, though he was the least talkative or egotistic of mortals, found himself telling of his college life, the vacations at Strathore, and his visits to Philadelphia and New York.