pate, his
limping leg, whither comes he trudging? Pelican, bird of ill omen, go to
thy hole and hide thy sorry face.' The stranger swallows their insults,
and casts toward the bridegroom a beseeching glance.

"But others cry: 'Come on, old man, come on! Come on, fear not the
company, the laughing and joking of these pretty gentlemen. Hunt about
the tables for the dainties and the carcasses. Hast thou a good jaw?
Here, catch this piece of pork and toss off a glass of wine!'

"'No,' at length comes an answer from the old man, in a tone of deep
sadness, 'gentlemen, I do not beg, and have never desired what others
leave: I seek my son.'--'His son! What is he saying--the son of this
seller of eelskins hovering about the Baroness of Aiglun?'

"And they look at each other in doubt, in burning scorn. I listened.
Then they said: 'Where is thy son? Show thy son, come on! and beware.
If, to mock us, thou lie, wretch, at the highest gargoyle of the towers
of Aiglun, without mercy, we'll hang thee!'

"'Well, since I am disowned, and relegated to the sweepings,' the old
man begins, draped in his _sayon_, and with a majesty that frightens us,
'you shall hear the crow sing!' Then the Count, turning the color of the
wall, cold as a bench of stone, said, 'Varlets, here, cast out this
dismal phantom!' Two tears of fire, that pierced the ground, and that I
still see shining, streamed down the countenance of the poor old man,
ah! so bitter, that we all became white as shrouds.

"'Like Death, I come where I am forgotten, without summons. I am wrong!'
broke out the unhappy man, 'but I wished to see my daughter-in-law.
Come on, cast out this dismal phantom, who is, however, thy father, O
splendid bridegroom!'

"I uttered a cry; all the guests rose from their chairs. But the
relentless old man went on: 'My lords, to tear from the evil fruit its
whole covering, I have but two words to say. Be seated, for I still see
on the table dishes not yet eaten.'

"Standing like palings, silent, anxious, the guests remained with hearts
scarce beating. I trembled, my eyes in mist. We were like the dead of
the churchyard about some funeral feast, full of terror and mystery. The
Count grinned sardonically.

"'Thou shalt run in vain, wretch,' said the venerable father, 'the
vengeance of God will surely reach thee! To-day thou makest me bow my
head; but thy bride, if she have some honor, will presently flee from
thee as from the pest, for thou shalt so