eatened to become
a perfect Babel; for the worthy Bachelor was really too ignorant, and
the simplest observations of the Councillor sounded to him too daring
and phantastical. They looked at one another from the crown of the head
to the soles of the feet; and when matters grew to too high a
pitch, then the Bachelor talked Latin, in the hope of being better
understood--but it was of no use after all.

* Herostratus, or Eratostratus--an Ephesian, who wantonly
set fire to the famous temple of Diana, in order to
commemorate his name by so uncommon an action.

"What's the matter?" asked the Hostess, plucking the Councillor by the
sleeve; and now his recollection returned, for in the course of the
conversation he had entirely forgotten all that had preceded it.

"Merciful God, where am I!" exclaimed he in agony; and while he so
thought, all his ideas and feelings of overpowering dizziness, against
which he struggled with the utmost power of desperation, encompassed
him with renewed force. "Let us drink claret and mead, and Bremen beer,"
shouted one of the guests--"and you shall drink with us!"

Two maidens approached. One wore a cap of two staring colors, denoting
the class of persons to which she belonged. They poured out the liquor,
and made the most friendly gesticulations; while a cold perspiration
trickled down the back of the poor Councillor.

"What's to be the end of this! What's to become of me!" groaned he; but
he was forced, in spite of his opposition, to drink with the rest. They
took hold of the worthy man; who, hearing on every side that he was
intoxicated, did not in the least doubt the truth of this certainly
not very polite assertion; but on the contrary, implored the ladies
and gentlemen present to procure him a hackney-coach: they, however,
imagined he was talking Russian.

Never before, he thought, had he been in such a coarse and ignorant
company; one might almost fancy the people had turned heathens again.
"It is the most dreadful moment of my life: the whole world is leagued
against me!" But suddenly it occurred to him that he might stoop down
under the table, and then creep unobserved out of the door. He did so;
but just as he was going, the others remarked what he was about; they
laid hold of him by the legs; and now, happily for him, off fell his
fatal shoes--and with them the charm was at an end.

The Councillor saw quite distinctly before him a lantern burning, and
behind this