Lady hours and hours, he left this Letter with ME: "Give it to
your Husband, for my Lord, the instant they come; and say I must have an
Answer to-morrow morning at 7." Left it with me, not with My Lady;--My
Lady not to know of it!' 'Tush, woman!' But Frau Kappel has been,
herself, unappeasably running about, ever since she got this Letter;
has applied to two fellow-servants, one after the other, who can read
writing, 'Break it up, will you!' But they would not. Practical Kappel
takes the Letter up to Master's room; delivers it, with the Message.
'What, Curatus Schmidt!' interrupts My Lady, who was sitting there:
'Herr Good-man, what is that?' 'That is a Letter to me,' answers the
Good-man: 'What have you to do with it?' Upon which My Lady flounces out
in a huff, and the Herr Baron sets about writing his Answer, whatever it
may be.

"Kappel and Frau are gone to bed, Frau still eloquent upon the mystery
of Curatus Schmidt, when his Lordship taps at their door; enters in the
dark: 'This is for the Curatus, at 7 o'clock to-morrow; I leave it on
the table here: be in time, like a good Kappel!' Kappel promises his
Unappeasable that he will actually open this Piece before delivery of
it; upon which she appeases herself, and they both fall asleep. Kappel
is on foot betimes next morning. Kappel quietly pockets his Letter;
still more quietly, from a neighboring room, pockets his Master's big
Seal (PETSCHAFT), with a view to resealing: he then steps out; giving
his BURSCH [Apprentice or Under-Groom] order to be ready in so many
minutes, 'You and these two horses' (specific for speed); and, in the
interim, walks over, with Letter and PETSCHAFT, to the Reverend Herr
Gerlach's, for some preliminary business. Kappel is Catholic; Warkotsch,
Protestant; Herr Gerlach is Protestant preacher in the Village of
Schonbrunn,--much hated by Warkotsch, whose standing order is: 'Don't
go near that insolent fellow;' but known by Kappel to be a just man,
faithful in difficulties of the weak against the strong. Gerlach, not
yet out of bed, listens to the awful story: reads the horrid missive;
Warkotsch to Colonel Wallis: 'You can seize the King, living or dead,
this night!'--hesitates about copying it (as Kappel wishes, for a good
purpose]; but is encouraged by his Wife, and soon writes a Copy. This
Copy Kappel sticks into the old cover, seals as usual; and, with the
Original safe in his own pocket, returns to the stables now. His Bursch
and he mou