or him to guess the true meaning of these preparations, he
completely lost his composure; and since the clubs seemed to indicate
incontestably that somebody was to be the recipient of blows, he got the
notion into his head that he himself was going to be the object of a
general maltreatment. He remembered how fearsomely the people had moved
away from him, and he thought to himself how rough the character of
country people was, and how perhaps the peasants, not understanding his
condescending motive, had resolved to get rid of the disagreeable
intruder. All this went through his soul like a streak of lightning, and
he was at a loss to know how he was going to protect his person and
dignity from the horrible attack.

While he was helplessly wrestling for a decision, the Pastor concluded
the ceremonies, and there immediately arose the wildest tumult. All the
bearers of clubs, men and women, rushed forward yelling and screaming
and flourishing their weapons; the aristocratic gentleman, however, in
three sidewise bounds over several pews, reached the pulpit. In a trice
he had ascended it, and from this elevated position called out in a loud
voice to the raging crowd below:

"I advise you not to attack me! I cherish the kindest and most
condescending feelings toward you all, and any injury done to me will be
resented by the King, as one done to himself."

The peasants, however, inspired by the object they had in view, did not
listen to this speech, but ran on up to the altar. On the way this and
that person received some unpremeditated blows before the intended
object of them was reached. This was the bridegroom. Clapping his hands
over his head, the latter with great exertion forced a passage for
himself through the crowd, who rained blows on his back, shoulders and
wherever there was room. He ran, violently pushing people aside, to the
church door; but before he got there he had received certainly more than
a hundred blows, and thus, well covered with black-and-blue marks, he
left the church on his wedding-day. Everybody ran after him; the bride's
father and bride followed, the Sexton closed the door immediately after
the last one had passed through it and betook himself to the vestry,
which had a private exit. In a few seconds the entire church was empty.

All this time the aristocratic gentleman had remained in the pulpit,
while the Pastor stood before the altar, bowing to him with a friendly
smile. The gentleman, when