preparing for him and ourselves.  The stair-case ran through the whole house, along all the ante-rooms.  My father, in coming down, had to go directly past the count’s apartment.  This ante-room was so full of people, that the count, to get through much at once, resolved to come out; and this happened unfortunately at the moment when my father descended.  The count met him cheerfully, greeted him, and remarked, “You will congratulate yourselves and us that this dangerous affair is so happily terminated.”—­“By no means!” replied my father in a rage:  “would that it had driven you to the Devil, even if I had gone with you!” The count restrained himself for a moment, and then broke out with wrath, “You shall pay for this,” cried he:  “you shall find that you have not thus insulted the good cause and myself for nothing!”

My father, meanwhile, came down very calmly, seated himself near us, seemed more cheerful than before, and began to eat.  We were glad of this, unconscious of the dangerous method in which he had rolled the stone from his heart.  Soon afterwards my mother was called out, and we had great pleasure in chattering to our father about the sweet things the count had given us.  Our mother did not return.  At last the interpreter came in.  At a hint from him we were sent to bed:  it was already late, and we willingly obeyed.  After a night quietly slept through, we heard of the violent commotion which had shaken the house the previous evening.  The king’s lieutenant had instantly ordered my father to be led to the guard-house.  The subalterns well knew that he was never to be contradicted, yet they had often earned thanks by delaying the execution of his orders.  The interpreter, whose presence of mind never forsook him, contrived to excite this disposition in them very strongly.  The tumult, moreover, was so great, that a delay brought with it its own concealment and excuse.  He had called out my mother, and put the adjutant, as it were, into her hands, that, by prayers and representations, she might gain a brief postponement of the matter.  He himself hurried up to the count, who with great self-command had immediately retired into the inner room, and would rather allow the most urgent affair to stand still, than wreak on an innocent person the ill humor once excited in him, and give a decision derogatory to his dignity.

The address of the interpreter to the count, the train of the whole conversation, were often enough repeated to us by the fat interpreter, who prided himself not a little on the fortunate result, so that I can still describe it from recollection.

The interpreter had ventured to open the cabinet and enter, an act which was severely prohibited.  “What do you want?” shouted the count angrily.  “Out with you!—­no one but St. Jean has a right to enter here.”

“Well, suppose I am St. Jean for a moment,” answered the interpreter.

“It would need a powerful imagination for that!  Two of him would not make one such as you.  Retire!”