f course have seen why I
sent that last note to my Goliath. I had to get him out of that room,
and to drive that notion about his birth-day out of his head; so, in my
anxiety, I hazarded a white lie. This is how it all came about:

"The day before his birth-day, the servant was waiting for him at the
Red Deer in Rosmin. I had ridden over there myself to see how my father
got on, and how he looked; but I kept myself out of sight. About midday
the cart came slowly rumbling up. The driver helped my father out--for
he had great difficulty in moving--which at first gave me a fright about
his legs; but it was really mainly owing to the fur boots and the
jolting. On the street the old boy took out a letter and read it. Then
he went up to Jasch, who had run to the cart, and who had to pretend
that he did not understand a word of German, and began to make all
manner of alarming gesticulations. He held his hand two feet above the
pavement, and when the servant shook his head, the governor stooped down
to the ground. This was meant to signify, 'My manikin!' but as Jasch
failed to understand it, my father caught hold of one hand with the
other, and shook it so violently under Jasch's nose, that the servant,
who, without this, was frightened at the great creature, was near taking
to his heels. At length my father and his effects were packed into a
spring-cart, he having several times walked round, and shaken it rather
mistrustfully. Then he drove off. I had told the servant to drive
straight to the forester's, with whom I had planned every thing. As for
me, I had gone there by a by-path; and as soon as the wagon arrived in
the evening, I slipped into the forester's bed, and had my hand tied
down under the clothes for fear I should stretch it out in my delight.
When the old gentleman reached my bedside, he was so moved that he wept,
and it went to my heart to be obliged to cheat him. I told him that I
was better already, and that the doctor would allow me to get up on the
morrow. This quieted him; and he said, with a most solemn mien, that he
was glad of that, for that the morrow was a great day for him, and that
he must then take to his bed. And so he went on with his nonsense. But
not long. He soon got cheerful. The forester joined us, and we made a
very good supper on what the young lady had sent us from the castle. I
gave the old boy beer, which he pronounced execrable; whereupon the
forester made some punch, and we all three dran