ub thee hence-forward
Princess of Kupisko.' Thus does Napoleon give principalities to his
generals, from the places at which they have gained great victories."

Telimena, wearied with the prolonged wrangling, wanted to go out into the
fresh air, but sought a partner. She took a little basket from the peg.
"Gentlemen, I see that you wish to remain within doors," she said,
wrapping around her head a red cashmere shawl, "but I am going for
mushrooms: follow me who will!" Under one arm she took the little daughter
of the Chamberlain, with the other she raised her skirt up to her ankles.
Thaddeus silently hastened after her--to seek mushrooms!

The plan of a walking party was very welcome to the Judge, who saw in it a
means of settling a noisy dispute; so he called out:--

"Gentlemen, to the woods for mushrooms! The one who brings the finest to
the table I will seat beside the prettiest girl; I will pick her out
myself. If a lady finds it, she shall choose for herself the handsomest
young man."

BOOK III.--FLIRTATION

ARGUMENT

The Count's expedition to the garden--A mysterious nymph feeding
geese--The resemblance of mushroom-gathering to the wanderings of
the shades in the Elysian Fields--Varieties of mushrooms--Telimena
in the Temple of Meditation--Consultation in regard to the
settlement of Thaddeus--The Count as a landscape painter--Thaddeus's
artistic observations on trees and clouds--The Count's thoughts on
art--The bell--The love note--A bear, sir!

The Count returned home, but he kept checking his horse, turning back his
head, and gazing at the garden; and once it seemed to him that a
mysterious, snow-white gown again flashed from the window; and that again
something light fell from on high, and flitting across the garden in the
twinkling of an eye, glittered among the green cucumbers, like a sunbeam
that steals out from a cloud and falls on a slab of flint in a ploughed
field, or on a small sheet of water in a green meadow.

The Count dismounted and sent his servants to the house, but himself set
out secretly for the garden; soon he reached the fence, found an opening
in it, and slunk in quietly, as a wolf into a sheepfold; unluckily he
jostled some dry gooseberry bushes. The little gardener glanced around as
though frightened by the rustling, but perceived nothing; however, she ran
to the other side of the garden. B