girl's apartment,
and explain what he wished to have done.

Master Matyas listened attentively to what the count said, and took the
necessary measurements. When he had done so, he turned toward his
patron, and said in a serious tone:

"Do you know why we lost the battle of Marengo? Because General
Gvozdanovics, when Napoleon's cavalry made that famous assault, was not
clever enough to order three men into every tree on that long
avenue--two of the men to load the muskets, while the third kept up a
continual fire. The French horsemen could not have ridden up the trees,
and the entire troop of cavalry would have dropped under the continuous
fire! The general certainly should have commanded: 'Half battalion--half
left! Up the trees--forward!'"

"That is true, Master Matyas," assented Count Vavel; "but I should like
to know if you fully understand what I want you to do, and if you can do
it?"

Master Matyas's face brightened suddenly. "I 'll tell you what, Herr
Count; if I succeed in doing what you want, I shall be able, if ever
Napoleon makes another attack on us, to pen him up, with his entire
army, so securely that he won't be able to stir!"

"I have no doubt of that!" again assented the count. "What I want,
however, is a secure barrier that cannot be opened from the outside.
Pray understand me. I want this barrier made in such a manner that the
person within the barricade will have sufficient light and air, but be
invisible to any one outside, and be perfectly secure from intruders.
Could not you let me have a little drawing of what you propose to do?"

"Certainly"; and taking a small sketch-book from his pocket, Master
Matyas proceeded to do as he was requested--first, however, explaining
to the count a drawing of the cannon which would mow down at one shot
fifteen hundred men. "You see," he explained, "here are two cannon
welded together at the breech, with their muzzles ten degrees apart. But
one touch-hole suffices for both. The balls are connected by a long
chain, and when the cannon are fired off, the balls naturally fly in
opposite directions and forward at the same time, and, stretching the
chain, mow off the heads of every man jack with whom it comes in
contact! Fire! Boom! Heads off!"

The count was perfectly satisfied with Master Matyas. He had found a man
who fully understood his business, and who knew how to hold his tongue
on all subjects but on that of his infernal machines, and of his
stratagems