“‘What may it be?’

    “’In the first place, you are the son of General Matthieu
    Dumas, who was minister of war at Naples during the usurpation
    of Joseph.’

“‘I am sorry,’ I answered, ’to be obliged to decline any relationship with that illustrious general.  My father was not General Matthieu, but General Alexandre Dumas.  The same,’ I continued, seeing that he was endeavouring to recall some reminiscences connected with the name of Dumas, ’who, after having been made prisoner at Tarentum, in contempt of the rights of hospitality, was poisoned at Brindisi, with Mauscourt and Dolomieu, in contempt of the rights of nations.  This happened, monsieur l’ambassadeur, at the same time that they hanged Carracciolo in the Gulf of Naples.  You see I do all I can to assist your recollection.’

    “M. de Ludorf bit his lips.

“‘Well, monsieur,’ he resumed after a moment’s silence, ’there is a second reason—­your political opinions.  You are marked out as a republican, and have quitted Paris, it is said, on some political design.’

“’To which I answer, monsieur, by showing you my letters of introduction.  They bear nearly all the seals and signatures of our ministers.  Here is one from the Admiral Jacob, another from Marshal Soult, another from M. de Villemain; they claim for me the aid of the French ambassador in any case of this description.’

“‘Well, well,’ said M. de Ludorf, ’since you have foreseen the very difficulty that has occurred, meet it with those means which are in your power.  For me, I repeat, I cannot sign your passport.  Those of your companions are quite regular; they can proceed when they please; but they must proceed without you.’

    “‘Has the Count de Ludorf’ said I, rising, ’any commissions for
    Naples?’

    “‘Why so, monsieur?’

    “‘Because I shall have great pleasure in undertaking them.’

    “‘But I repeat, you cannot go to Naples.’

    “‘I shall be there in three days.’

    “I wished M. de Ludorf good morning, and left him stupefied at
    my assurance.”—­Vol. ii. p. 5.

Our dramatical traveller ran immediately to a young friend, an artist then studying at Rome, and prevailed on him to take out a passport, in his own name for Naples.  Fortified with this passport, and assuming the name of his friend, he left Rome that evening.  The following day he reached Naples.  But as he was exposed every moment to detection, it was necessary that he should pass over immediately to Sicily.  The steam-boats at Naples, unlike the steam-boats every where else, start at no fixed period.  The captain waits for his contingent of passengers, and till this has been obtained both he and his vessel are immovable.  M. Dumas and his companion, therefore, hired a small sailing vessel, a speronara as it is called, in which they embarked the next morning.  But before weighing anchor M. Dumas took from his portfolio the neatest, purest, whitest, sheet of paper that it contained, and indited the following letter to the Count de Ludorf:—­