smattering of chemistry, like Balsamo (who called himself Cagliostro), St. Germain, and other individuals, who had obtained very great sums from Duke Victor by aiding him in his search after the great secret.  His amusements were hunting and reviewing the troops; but for him, and if his good-natured father had not had his aid, the army would have been playing at cards all day, and so it was well that the prudent prince was left to govern.

Duke Victor was fifty years of age, and his princess, the Princess Olivia, was scarce three-and-twenty.  They had been married seven years, and in the first years of their union the Princess had borne him a son and a daughter.  The stern morals and manners, the dark and ungainly appearance, of the husband, were little likely to please the brilliant and fascinating young woman, who had been educated in the south (she was connected with the ducal house of S—–­), who had passed two years at Paris under the guardianship of Mesdames the daughters of His Most Christian Majesty, and who was the life and soul of the Court of X—–­, the gayest of the gay, the idol of her august father-in-law, and, indeed, of the whole Court.  She was not beautiful, but charming; not witty, but charming, too, in her conversation as in her person.  She was extravagant beyond all measure; so false, that you could not trust her; but her very weaknesses were more winning than the virtues of other women, her selfishness more delightful than others’ generosity.  I never knew a woman whose faults made her so attractive.  She used to ruin people, and yet they all loved her.  My old uncle has seen her cheating at ombre, and let her win 400 louis without resisting in the least.  Her caprices with the officers and ladies of her household were ceaseless:  but they adored her.  She was the only one of the reigning family whom the people worshipped.  She never went abroad but they followed her carriage with shouts of acclamation:  and, to be generous to them, she would borrow the last penny from one of her poor maids of honour, whom she would never pay.  In the early days her husband was as much fascinated by her as all the rest of the world was; but her caprices had caused frightful outbreaks of temper on his part, and an estrangement which, though interrupted by almost mad returns of love, was still general.  I speak of her Royal Highness with perfect candour and admiration, although I might be pardoned for judging her more severely, considering her opinion of myself.  She said the elder Monsieur de Balibari was a finished old gentleman, and the younger one had the manners of a courier.  The world has given a different opinion, and I can afford to chronicle this almost single sentence against me.  Besides, she had a reason for her dislike to me, which you shall hear.