ever
he sees!"

"I beg your pardon, sir. He doesn't look just like that. I thinks he's
not quite right in the head, sir, and he seems to be very proud. He says
his name is 'Moser.' He is waiting downstairs. I told Franz to keep an
eye on him."

"The deuce! What good will that do, now? Even if I should have the fool
arrested, it wouldn't mend matters. I've told you a thousand times that
the front gates were to be kept locked! Besides, it couldn't have
happened if you had had things ready at the proper time!"

Just then the Countess, pleased and excited, entered the room with the
open note in her hand. "Do you know who is downstairs?" she exclaimed.
"For goodness' sake, read that note! Mozart from Vienna, the composer!
Some body must go at once and invite him in! I'm afraid he will be gone!
What will he think of me? You treated him very politely, I hope, Velten.
What was it that happened?"

"What happened?" interrupted the Count, whose wrath was not immediately
assuaged by the prospect of a visit from a famous man. "The madman
pulled one of the nine oranges from the tree which was for Eugenie.
Monster! So the point of our joke is gone, and Max may as well tear up
his poem."

"Oh, no!" she answered, earnestly; "the gap can easily be filled. Leave
that to me. But go, both of you, release the good man, and persuade him
to come in, if you possibly can. He shall not go further today if we can
coax him to stay. If you do not find him in the garden, go to the inn
and bring him and his wife too. Fate could not have provided a greater
gift or a finer surprise for Eugenie today."

"No, indeed," answered Max, "that was my first thought, too. Come, Papa!
And"--as they descended the staircase--"you may be quite easy about the
verses. The ninth Muse will not desert me; instead, I can use the
accident to especial advantage."

"Impossible!"

"Not at all!"

"Well, if that is so--I take your word for it--we will do the lunatic
all possible honor."

While all this was going on in the palace, our quasi-prisoner, not very
anxious over the outcome of the affair, had busied himself some time in
writing. Then, as no one appeared, he began to walk uneasily up and
down. Presently came an urgent message from the inn, that dinner was
ready long ago and the postilion was anxious to start; would
he please come at once. So he packed up his papers and was just
about to leave, when the two men appeared before the arbor.

The Count greeted