was positively ridiculous to hear the
fellow talk, and the lackeys, instead of getting angry, laughed outright
at him, which only enraged him the more; he worked his arms and legs like
a jumping jack and made faces like a nut-cracker. However, when he again
presumed to abuse your grace, our people made short work of the drunken
knave, and thrust him out of doors."

"Well, I hope his airing will do him good," said the count, smiling, "and
that he came to his senses on the street."

"It seems not, though," replied Chamberlain von Lehndorf, making a signal
to the halberdiers stationed on both sides of the doors of the grand
reception hall that they should open the door--"no, it seems that the
airing did the drunken soldier no good. For, only think, gracious sir,
just now, as I passed through the front entry to get to your apartments,
there the man stood, and as soon as he saw me he sprang at me, seized my
arm, and whispered: 'Chamberlain von Lehndorf, I _must_ speak to the
Stadtholder. Only tell him my name, and I know that he will receive me.'"

"And did he tell you his name, Lehndorf?" asked the count, as he walked
forward.

"Yes indeed, noble sir," laughed the chamberlain; "with monstrously
important air he whispered his name in my ear, as if he had been the Pope
in disguise or the Emperor himself. I laughed outright, and left him
standing."

The count now stood close before the wide-open doors which led into the
grand reception hall. The halberdiers struck upon the ground with their
gold-headed staves; in the spacious, magnificently decorated hall appeared
a dense throng of army officers in their glittering uniforms and civil
dignitaries in their ceremonial garbs of office. Six pages, in richly
embroidered velvet suits, stood on both sides of the door, while in the
raised gilded balcony opposite the musicians arose and began to pour forth
a thundering peal of welcome as soon as they caught sight of the
Stadtholder.

Count Schwarzenberg, however, took no notice of this; he stood upon the
threshold of the door, and his smiling face was still turned upon his
chamberlain.

"What name did the fellow give?" asked he carelessly.

"Oh, a very fine name, gracious sir. He had the same name as the blessed
archangel--Gabriel!"

"Gabriel?" echoed the count hastily and at the top of his voice, for the
musicians played so loud that a man could hardly hear his own voice, even
though he shouted. "Only Gabriel, nothing furt