No one was forthcoming.

At length Tom Temple said-- "Would one of the servants do, Voltaire ?" "I would rather have a visitor," said Voltaire, "and for two reasons: first, you could not then have any reason for suspecting a collusion; and, second, the ordinary English servant is extremely unsusceptible to the play of higher powers.

If, however, none of you will volunteer, I can see no other alternative." Accordingly, a man about my own age was brought in, and introduced as Simon Slowden.

I saw that he was no ordinary character as soon as he entered, and was by no means one who could be easily imposed upon.

I afterwards found that Simon had spent his boyhood in London, had when a youth joined a travelling circus, and tramped the country for a few years.