lf did not
restrain her little tongue, until at last she extricated herself,
weeping aloud, from the confused coil, and unexpectedly threw herself
into my arms for protection. I immediately assumed the correct
attitude; but since the rest paid no attention to us, she suddenly
composed her face and whispered hastily in my ear, "You odious
Receiver! it is all on your account. There, stuff the wretched note
into your pocket; you will find out from it where we live. When you
approach the gate, at the appointed hour, turn into the lonely street
on the right hand."

I was too much amazed to utter a word, for, now that I looked closely,
I recognized her at once; actually it was the pert lady's-maid of
the Castle who had brought me the flask of wine on that lovely Sunday
afternoon. She never looked as pretty as now, when, heated by her
quarrel, she leaned against my shoulder, and her black curls hung down
over my arm. "But, dear ma'amselle," I said in astonishment, "how do
you come--" "For heaven's sake, hush!--be quiet!" she replied, and in
an instant, before I could fairly collect myself, she had left me and
had fled across the garden.

Meanwhile, the others had almost entirely forgotten the original cause
of the turmoil, and now took a pleasing interest in proving to the
young man that he was intoxicated--a great disgrace for an honorable
painter. The stout, smiling gentleman from the arbor, who was--as I
afterward learned--a great connoisseur and patron of Art, and who was
always ready to lend his aid for the love of Science, had thrown aside
his baton, and showed his broad face, fairly shining with good humor,
in the midst of the thickest confusion, zealously striving to restore
peace and order, but regretting between-whiles the loss of the long
cadenza, and of the beautiful tableau which he had taken such pains to
arrange.

In my heart all was as serenely bright as on that blissful Sunday when
I had played on my fiddle far into the night at the open window where
stood the flask of wine. Since the rumpus showed no signs of abating,
I hastily pulled out my violin, and without more ado played an Italian
dance, popular among the mountains, which I had learned at the old
castle in the forest.

All turned their heads to listen. "Bravo! Bravissimo! A delicious
idea!" cried the merry connoisseur of Art, running from one to another
to arrange a rustic _divertissement_, as he called it. He made a
beginning himself by leading