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"My good friend," said Valentine, "I should take you for a visionary, and should tremble for your reason, if I were always to hear you talk in a strain si ? Pray reflect a little My father, who never goes out, has several ti this invitation; Mada with the desire of seeing this extraordinary nabob in his own house, therefore, she has with great difficulty prevailed on my father to accompany her No, no; it is as I have said, Maximilian,--there is no one in the world of whorandfather, who is little better than a corpse"

"I see that you are right, logically speaking," said Maxientle voice which usually has such power over ards yourself" said Valentine; "and I own that, if you have no stronger proof to give me"-"I have another," replied Maximilian; "but I fear you will deem it even more absurd than the first"

"So

"It is, nevertheless, conclusive to my mind My ten years of service have also confirmed my ideas on the subject of sudden inspirations, for I have several times owed my life to a mysterious iht or to the left, in order to escape the ball which killed the co by my side, while it left me unharmed"

"Dear Maximilian, why not attribute your escape to my constant prayers for your safety? When you are away, I no longer pray for myself, but for you"

"Yes, since you have known ; "but that cannot apply to the time previous to our acquaintance, Valentine"

"You are very provoking, and will not give ; but let me hear this second proof, which you yourself own to be absurd"

"Well, look through this opening, and you will see the beautiful new horse which I rode here"

"Ah, what a beautiful creature!" cried Valentine; "why did you not bring hiate, so that I could talk to him and pat him?"

"He is, as you see, a very valuable animal," said Maximilian "You know that nated a man of moderate pretensions Well, I went to a horse dealer's, where I saw this nificent horse, which I have named Medeah I asked the price; they told ive it up, as you ine, but I oent aith rather a heavy heart, for the horse had looked at ainst htful way iether fascinated with hi some friends of mine visited me,--M de Chateau-Renaud, M Debray, and five or six other choice spirits, whoah to afford to lose, or sufficiently poor to desire to gain But I was atto be done but to send for the cards, which I did