swearing to strike me dead wherever he found me.  He fancied I would be with Tomatis, and went to his house.  He found Tomatis with his mistress, Prince Lubomirski, and Count Moszczinski, but no Casanova was visible.  He asked where I was, and on Tomatis replying that he did not know he discharged a pistol at his head.  At this dastardly action Count Moszczincki seized him and tried to throw him out of the window, but the madman got loose with three cuts of his sabre, one of which slashed the count on the face and knocked out three of his teeth.

“After this exploit,” Prince Lubomirski continued, “he seized me by the throat and held a pistol to my head, threatening to blow out my brains if I did not take him in safety to the court where his horse was, so that he might get away from the house without any attack being made on him by Tomatis’s servants; and I did so immediately.  Moszczinski is in the doctor’s hands, and will be laid up for some time.

“As soon as it was reported that Branicki was killed, his Uhlans began to ride about the town swearing to avenge their colonel, and to slaughter you.  It is very fortunate that you took refuge here.

“The chief marshal has had the monastery surrounded by two hundred dragoons, ostensibly to prevent your escape, but in reality to defend you from Branicki’s soldiers.

“The doctors say that the postoli is in great danger if the ball has wounded the intestines, but if not they answer for his recovery.  His fate will be known tomorrow.  He now lies at the lord chamberlain’s, not daring to have himself carried to his apartments at the palace.  The king has been to see him, and the general who was present told his majesty that the only thing that saved your life was your threat to aim at Branicki’s head.  This frightened him, and to keep your ball from his head he stood in such an awkward position that he missed your vital parts.  Otherwise he would undoubtedly have shot you through the heart, for he can split a bullet into two halves by firing against the blade of a knife.  It was also a lucky thing for you that you escaped Bininski, who never thought of looking for you in the wretched sleigh.”

“My lord, the most fortunate thing for me is that I did not kill my man outright.  Otherwise I should have been cut to pieces just as I went to his help by three of his servants, who stood over me with drawn swords.  However, the postoli ordered them to leave me alone.

“I am sorry for what has happened to your highness and Count Moszczinski; and if Tomatis was not killed by the madman it is only because the pistol was only charged with powder.”

“That’s what I think, for no one heard the bullet; but it was a mere chance.”

“Quite so.”

Just then an officer of the palatin’s came to me with a note from his master, which ran as follows: 

“Read what the king says to me, and sleep well.”

The king’s note was thus conceived: