ards us--we shall have the bombs pouring upon us!"

"That would be only giving ourselves trouble," replied the General
coolly; "and besides, I should like to see how they aim."

"But _I_ don't want to see; my life is not my own, it belongs to my
country. It is not permitted to risk it thus; the Diet would not allow
it."

"Set your mind at ease, my dear major; I will take the whole
responsibility of your precious life before the Diet. Meanwhile,
orders have been given that none shall quit the bastion until I go
myself."

The major's anguish was not altogether without foundation; for the
music having attracted the attention of the besiegers, their cannon
began firing one by one, and several balls whistled past the
revellers.

"Aha! in this case we must protect ourselves," cried the General; and
without moving from his seat, he desired his attendants to prepare the
battery.

This battery consisted of champagne bottles well preserved in ice, the
popping of which most ludicrously parodied the cannons of the enemy,
while the generous wine increased the good humour of the reckless
company.

The music continued to play one national air after another; as soon as
the first band ceased another struck up, the company joining their
voices in full chorus to the most familiar airs.

Meanwhile the bombs were falling right and left: some, splashing into
the Danube, burst at the bottom, or without extinguishing, struck the
water again and again. Others whistled past the pavilion, and burst
above it; but none as yet came near the tables.

The merry party made light of it all, crying "good speed" to those
which flew over their heads, offering a glass to renew their strength,
promising to let down ropes to such as fell into the moat. In short,
what they had looked upon with awe from a distance, they now
considered capital diversion.

The poor major suffered the most exquisite pangs of terror: bobbing
his head each time a shell flew over the ramparts at the distance of a
hundred fathoms, or starting aside from the passing balls; and as
often as a bomb burst, he almost fell on his back in the most violent
contortions.

Meanwhile, as the day closed, the sounds of music, as well as the
beauty of the evening, had attracted various groups of well-dressed
people to the ramparts; and notwithstanding the thundering of the
cannon, the fair sex formed no small portion of the curious, whose
desire of amusement overcame their timidity.