window."

"Go, my friend," answered the Count, calmly. "I will not run away."

"You had much better come," insisted Dumnoff, apparently indifferent to
the noise of the crowd as it tried to force open the closed door, and
shaking off two or three men who had made their way out into the street
with him. He held the key in one hand, and his assailants had small chance
of getting it away.

"You will not come?" he repeated. But the Count shook his head, within the
room.

"Then I will not run away either," said Dumnoff, the good side of his dull
nature showing itself at last. With the utmost indifference to
consequences he returned to the door, unlocked it, and strode through the
midst of the people, who made way readily enough before him, after their
late painful experience of his manner of making way for himself.

"I have changed my mind," he said, in German, quietly placing himself
between his late keepers, who were alternately rubbing themselves and
brushing the dust off each other's clothes after their tumble.

In the astonished silence which succeeded Dumnoff's return, the Count's
voice was heard again.

"I am both anxious and ready to explain everything, if you will do me the
civility to listen," he said. "The doll is the property of Herr
Fischelowitz, the well-known tobacconist--"

"We shall see presently what you have to say for yourself," interrupted
the policeman. "We have had enough of these devilish fellows. Come, put
them in handcuffs and off with them. And you three gentlemen," he added,
turning to the three porters, "will have the goodness to accompany us to
the station, in order to give your evidence."

"But my furniture and my beer saucers!" exclaimed the pallid host,
suddenly remembering his losses. "Who is to pay for them?"

The Count answered the question for him.

"You, Master Host, who know us and have had our regular custom for years,
but who have not dared to say a word in our defence throughout this
disgraceful affair, you, I say, deserve to lose all that you have lost.
Nevertheless, I can assure you that I will myself pay for what has been
broken."

The host was not much consoled by this magnanimous promise, which was
received with jeers by the crowd. There was no time, however, to discuss
the question. Dumnoff had quietly submitted his two huge fists to the
handcuffs and a second pair was produced, to fit the Count. At this
indignity he drew himself up proudly.

"Have I resisted th