170 A JACOBITE EXILE

to interfere with the little body of Swedish cavalry; while
in the towns through which they passed, the baron was
respectfully received as the envoy of the dreaded King of
Sweden.

“Ts there another gate to the city on this side of the
town beside that by which the Swedes will enter? If so, it
would be as well to use it, so that there should seem to be
no connection between us and them,” said Charlie.

There was another gate, and by this they rode into
Warsaw, at that time a city of far greater importance than
it is at present. ‘The gate was unguarded, and they passed
through without question. The citizens were talking
excitedly in groups, evidently discussing the question of
the arrival of the Swedish envoy and the chances of peace,
and no attention was paid to the travellers, whose appear-
ance denoted them to be persons of no importance.
Richly-attired nobles, in costumes of almost oriental mag-
nificence, galloped through the streets on splendid horses,
scattering the groups of citizens, and paying no attention
whatever to the angry murmurs that followed them. Charlie
stopped at a small inn, and there the horses were put up.
Stanislas made inquiries for the shop of Allan Ramsay,
mentioning that his employer was a relation of the Scottish
merchant, and had come out to be with him until he had
learned the language.

“The Scots know their business,” the landlord grumbled.
“They and the French and the Jews together have their
hand in every one’s pocket. They buy the cattle and grain
of the peasants for what they choose to give for them, and
send them out of the country, getting all the profits of the
transaction; while as to the nobles, there is scarce one who
is not deep in their books.”

“Still, you could not do without them,” Stanislas said;
“there must be somebody to buy and to sell, and as the
nobles won’t do it, and the peasants can’t, I don’t see that