e expected at his sister's death: therefore he
absolutely refused to send the plate, unless the maid would tell him
what guests she expected. The girl, alarmed for her mistress's honour,
replied, that her pious lady had no thoughts of a husband; but that, as
St. Paul had sent her a letter from heaven, saying, that he and the
_Angel Gabriel_ would come to supper with her, her mistress wanted to
make the entertainment as elegant as possible. The Counsellor, who knew
the turn of his sister's mind, immediately suspected some villains had
imposed on her; and sent the maid directly with the plate, while he went
to the Commissary of the quarter, and gave him this information. The
magistrate accompanied him to a house adjoining, from whence they saw,
just before eight o'clock, a tall man, dressed in long vestments, with a
white beard, and a young man in white, with large wings at his
shoulders, alight from a hackney-coach, and go up to the widow's
apartment. The Commissary immediately ordered twelve of the foot _guet_
(the guards of Paris) to post themselves on the stairs, while he himself
knocked at the door, and desired admittance. The old lady replied, that
she had company, and could speak to no one. But the Commissary answered,
that he must come in: for that he was St. Peter, and had come to ask St.
Paul and the Angel, how they came out of heaven without his knowledge.
The divine visitors were astonished at this, not expecting any more
Saints to join them: but the lady, overjoyed at having so great an
apostle with her, ran eagerly to the door; when the Commissary, her
brother, and the _guet_, rushing in, presented their musquets, and
seized her guests, whom they immediately carried to the Chatelot.

On searching the criminals, two cords, a razor, and a pistol, were found
in St. Paul's pocket; and a gag in that of the feigned angel. Three days
after, their trial came on: when, in their defence, they pleaded, that
the one was a soldier of the French foot-guards, and the other a
barber's apprentice; and that they had no other evil design, but to
procure a good supper for themselves at the expence of the widow's
folly; that, it being carnival time, they had borrowed the above
dresses; that the soldier had found the two cords, and put them into his
pocket; the razor was what he used to shave himself with; and the pistol
was to defend himself from any insults so strange a habit might expose
him to, in going home. The barber's appr