ey may sign, at least, with a decent
parade."

"It is settled otherwise." hastily answered the functionary of the quill,
who was necessarily in the secret of Christine's origin, and who had been
well bribed to observe discretion. "It would altogether derange the order
and regularity of the proceedings."

"As thou wilt; for I would have nothing illegal, and least of all, nothing
disorderly. But o' Heaven's sake! let us get through with our penmanship,
for I hear there are symptoms that the meats are likely to be overbaked.
Canst thou write, good man?"

"Indifferently, mein Herr: but in a way to make what I will binding before
the law."

"Give the quill to the bride, Mr. Notary, and let us protract the happy
event no longer."

The bailiff here bent his head aside and whispered to an attendant to
hurry towards the kitchens and to look to the affairs of the banquet.
Christine took the pen with a trembling hand and pallid cheek, and was
about to apply it to the paper, when a sudden cry from the throng diverted
the attention of all present to a new matter of interest.

"Who dares thus indecently interrupt this grave scene, and that, too, in
so great a presence?" sternly demanded the bailiff.

Pippo, who with the other prisoners had unavoidably been inclosed in the
space near the estrade by the pressure of the multitude, staggered more
into view, and removing his cap with a well-managed respect, presented
himself humbly to the sight of Peterchen.

"It is I, illustrious and excellent governor," returned the wily
Neapolitan, who retained just enough of the liquor he had swallowed to
render him audacious, without weakening his means of observation. "It is
I, Pippo; an artist of humble pretensions, but, I hope, a very honest man
and, as I know, a great reverencer of the laws and a true friend to
order."

"Let the good man speak up boldly. A man of these principles has a right
to be heard. We live in a time of damnable innovations, and of most
atrocious attempts to overturn the altar, the state, and the public
trusts, and the sentiments of such a man are like dew to the parched
grass."

The reader is not to imagine, from the language of the bailiff, that Vaud
stood on the eve of any great political commotion, but, as the Government
was in itself an usurpation, and founded on the false principle of
exclusion, it was quite as usual then, as now, to cry out against the
moral throes of violated right, since the same eagern