ed without his having made his appearance. Neither had Mirabeau
returned from his nocturnal promenade. Presently a storm of lightning,
thunder, and heavy rain came on; in the midst of it the bell at the gate
of the court-yard rang loudly. The count rushed out of the room into the
court-yard, heedless of the contending elements; and before the groom
could arrive to take his friend's horse, the anxious host was at his side.
His guest was in the act of dismounting.

"Well," said M. De ----, "I have been stopped. It is really he. I recognized
him perfectly."

Not a word more was spoken then; but as soon as the groom had led the
horse to the stables, M. De ---- rapidly told the count that, during the
storm, and as he was riding along, a man, who was half-concealed behind a
very large tree, ordered him to throw down his purse. At that moment a
flash of lightning enabled him to discover a portion of the robber's
person, and M. De ---- rode at him; but the robber retreated a few paces,
and then leveling his gun at the horseman, cried with a powerful voice,
which it was impossible to mistake, "Pass on, or you are a dead man!"
Another flash of lightning showed the whole of the robber's figure: it was
Mirabeau, whose voice had already betrayed him! The wayfarer, having no
inclination to be shot, put spurs to his horse, and soon reached the
chateau.

The count enjoined strict silence, and begged of his friend to avoid
displaying any change in his usual demeanor when in company with the other
guests; he then ordered his valet to come again to him as soon as Mirabeau
should return. Half an hour afterward Mirabeau arrived. He was wet to the
skin, and hastened to his own room; he told the servant to inform the
count that he could not join the company at the evening meal, and begged
that his supper might be brought to his room; and he went to bed as soon
as he had supped.

All went on as usual with the party assembled below, excepting that the
gentleman who had had so unpleasant an adventure on the road appeared more
gay than usual.

When his guests had all departed, the master of the house repaired alone
to his brother-in-law's apartment. He found him fast asleep, and was
obliged to shake him rather violently before he could rouse him.

"What's the matter? Who's there? What do you want with me?" cried
Mirabeau, staring at his brother-in-law, whose eyes were flashing with
rage and disgust.

"What do I want? I want, to tell you t