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not　discover　a　single　guest。　Nobody　was　in　the　room　except　the　eight
foot…men　who　stood　behind　the　chairs。　Well　aware　of　their　master's
stern　and　indomitable　spirit；　they　occupied　their　usual　places；　but
their　faces　were　very　pale；　and　their　eyes　turned　with　an　expression
of　extreme　anxiety　toward　the　windows　which；　just　then；　trembled
again　under　the　heavy；　thundering　blows　levelled　at　the　front　door。

〃Cowards！〃　muttered　Thugut；　while　walking　to　his　chair　at　the　upper
end　of　the　table　and　beckoning　Count　Saurau　to　take　a　seat　at　his
side。

At　this　moment；　however；　the　door　was　hastily　opened；　and　the
steward；　pale　and　with　distorted　features；　rushed　into　the　room。




CHAPTER　III。

THE　INTERVIEW。


〃Excuse　me；　your　excellency；〃　said　he；　〃but　this　time　they　are
assuredly　in　earnest。　The　people　are　storming　the　front　doorthe
hinges　are　beginning　to　give　way；　and　in　fifteen　minutes；　at　the
latest；　the　scoundrels　will　have　forced　an　entrance！〃

〃You　had　no　business　to　close　the　door；〃　said　the　minister。　〃Who
ordered　you　to　do　so？　Who　ordered　you　to　barricade　the　house；　as　if
it　were　a　fortressas　if　we　had　a　bad　conscience　and　were　afraid　of
the　people？〃

The　steward　looked　aghast；　and　did　not　know　what　to　reply。

〃Go　down…stairs　at　once；〃　continued　the　minister；　〃order　the　porter
to　open　the　door；　and　admit　everybody。　Show　the　people　up…stairs；
and　you　rascals　who　are　standing　there　with　pale　faces　and　trembling
knees；　open　the　two　folding…doors　so　that　they　can　get　in　without
hurting　each　other。　Now　do　what　I　have　told　you。〃

The　steward　bowed　with　a　sigh　expressive　of　the　agony　he　felt；　and
hurriedly　left　the　room。

The　footmen；　meanwhile；　hastened　to　open　the　folding…doors　of　the
dining…room；　as　well　as　those　of　the　antechamber。　The　two　gentlemen
at　the　table　obtaining　thereby　a　full　view　of　the　landing　of　the
large　staircase；　directly　in　front　of　the　open　door　of　the　first
room。

〃And　now；　Germain；〃　said　Thugut　to　the　footman　behind　his　chair；
〃now　let　us　have　our　breakfast。　Be　wise；　my　dear　count；　and　follow
my　example；　take　some　of　this　sherbet。　It　cools　the　blood；　and；　at
the　same　time；　is　quite　invigorating。　Drink；　dear　count；　drink！　Ah！
just　see；　my　cook　has　prepared　for　us　to…day　a　genuine　Turkish　meal；
for　there　is　a　turkey　boiled　with　rice　and　paprica。　The　chief　cook
of　the　grand　vizier　himself　furnished　me　the　receipt　for　this
exquisite　dish；　and　I　may　venture　to　assert　that　you　might　look　for
it　everywhere　in　Vienna　without　finding　it　so　well　prepared　as　at　my
table。〃

Heavy　footsteps　and　confused　voices　were　now　heard　on　the　staircase。

〃They　are　comingthey　really　dare　to　enter　here！〃　said　Count
Saurau；　trembling　with　anger。　〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；　I　admire
your　heroic　equanimity；　but　I　am　unable　to　imitate　it。　It　is　an
utter　impossibility　for　me　to　sit　here　calmly　and　passively；　while　a
gang　of　criminals　is　bold　enough　to　break　into　your　house！〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　count；　these　people　did　not　break　into　my　house；
but　I　voluntarily　opened　the　door　to　admit　them；〃　said　Baron　Thugut；
coolly。　〃And　as　far　as　your　official　position　is　concerned；　I　pray
you　to　forget　it　for　half　an　hour；　and　remember　only　that　I　have　the
honor　of　seeing　youa　rare　guestat　my　table。　Let　me　beg　you　to
take　some　of　that　fowl；　it　is　really　delicious！〃

Count　Saurau；　heaving　a　loud　sigh；　took　a　piece　of　the　fowl　which
Germain　presented　to　him；　and　laid　it　on　the　silver　plate　that　stood
before　him。　But　just　as　he　was　going　to　taste　the　first　morsel；　he
hesitated；　and　looked　steadily　through　the　open　doors。　Several　heads
with　shaggy　hair　and　flashing　eyes　emerged　above　the　railing　of　the
staircase；　many　others　followednow　the　entire　figures　became
visible；　and　in　the　next　moment；　from　twenty　to　thirty　wild…looking
men　reached　the　landing；　behind　whom；　on　the　staircase；　a　dense　mass
of　other　heads　rose　to　the　surface。

But　the　loud　shouts；　the　fierce　swearing　and　yelling；　had　ceased；
the　awe　with　which　the　intruders　were　filled　by　the　aristocratic
appearance　of　every　thing　they　beheld；　had　hushed　their　voices；　and
even　the　intrepid　orator；　who　previously；　on　the　Kohlmarkt；　had
excited　the　people　to　commit　acts　of　violence；　and　brought　them　to
the　minister's　houseeven　he　stood　now　hesitating　and　undecided；　at
the　door　of　the　dining…room；　casting　glances　full　of　savage　hatred
and　rage　into　the　interior。

Thugut　took　apparently　no　notice　whatever　of　what　was　going　on；　his
breakfast　entirely　absorbed　him；　and　he　devoted　his　whole　attention
to　a　large　piece　of　the　turkey；　which　he　seemed　to　relish　greatly。

Count　Saurau　merely　feigned　to　eat；　and　looked　steadfastly　at　his
plate；　as　he　did　not　want　the　rioters　to　read　in　his　eyes　the
furious　wrath　that　filled　his　breast。

The　men　of　the　people　did　not　seem　to　feel　quite　at　ease　on
beholding　this　strange　and　unexpected　scene；　which　all　of　a　sudden
commenced　to　cool　their　zeal　and　heroism；　like　a　wet　blanket。　They
had　triumphantly　penetrated　into　the　palace；　shouting　vociferously；
and　quite　sure　that　the　minister　would　appear　before　them　trembling
and　begging　for　mercy；　and　now；　to　their　utter　amazement；　they
beheld　him　sitting　very　calmly　at　the　breakfast…table！

There　was　something　greatly　embarrassing　for　the　poor　men　in　this
position。　They　suddenly　grew　quite　sober；　and　even　intimidated；　and
many　of　those　who　had　ascended　the　staircase　so　boisterously　and
triumphantly；　now　deemed　it　prudent　to　withdraw　as　quietly　as
possible。　The　number　of　the　heads　that　had　appeared　above　the
balusters　was　constantly　decreasing；　and　only　about　twenty　of　the
most　resolute　and　intrepid　remained　at　the　door　of　the　ante…room。

At　length；　the　speaker　who　had　addressed　them　on　the　Kohlmarkt；
conscious　of　his　pledges　and　of　the　reward　promised　to　him；　overcame
his　momentary　bashfulness　and　stepped　boldly　into　the　ante…room；
where　the　others；　encouraged　by　his　example；　followed　him　at　once。

Baron　Thugut　now　raised　his　eyes　with　an　air　of　great　indifference
from　his　plate　and　glanced　at　the　men　who　with　noisy　steps
approached　through　the　anteroom。　Then　turning　to　the　footman　behind
him；　he　said；　in　a　loud　voice：

〃Germain；　go　and　ask　these　gentlemen　if　they　want　to　see　me？　Ask
them　likewise　whom　you　will　have　the　honor　to　announce　to　your
master？〃

The　men；　overhearing　these　words；　grew　still　more　confused　when　the
servant　in　his　gorgeous　livery　stepped　up　to　them；　and；　with　a　most
condescending　smile；　informed　them　of　the　errand　his　master　had
given　to　him。

But　now　it　was　out　of　the　question　to　withdraw；　as　there　was　nothing
left　to　them　but　to　arm　themselves　with　whatever　pluck　and　boldness
they　had　at　their　command　in　order　to　carry　out　the　role　they　had
undertaken　to　play　in　the　most　becoming　manner。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　speaker　of　the　Kohlmarkt；　loudly　and　resolutely；　〃we
want　to　see　the　minister；　and　as　for　our　names；　I　am　Mr。　Wenzel；　of
the　tailors'　guild；　my　neighbor　here　is　Mr。　Kahlbaum；　also　a　tailor；
and　others　may　mention　their　own　names；　so　that　this　polite
gentleman　may　answer　them　to　his　excellency。〃

But　none　of　the　other　men　complied　with　this　request；　on　the
contrary；　all　looked　timidly　aside；　a　misgiving　dawning　in　their
minds　that　such　a　loud　announcement　of　their　names　might　not　be
altogether　without　danger　for　them。

Germain　did　not　wait　for　the　final　conclusion；　but　hastily　returned
to　his　master；　in　order　to　inform　him　of　what　he　had　heard。

〃Mr。　Wenzel；　of　the　tailors'　guild；　Mr。　Tailor　Kahlbaum；　and　the
other　gentlemen；　whatever　their　names　may　be；　are　welcome。〃　said　the
minister；　aloud；　but　without　interrupting　his　meal　for　a　single
moment。

The　men　thereupon　advanced　to　the　door　of　the　dining…room。　But　here
a　proud　and　imperious　glance　from　the　minister　caused　them　suddenly
to　halt。

〃I　believe　you　have　breakfasted　already？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃Yes；　we　have　breakfasted　already；〃　replied　Mr。　Wenzel；　in　a　surly
voice。

〃Well；　unluckily；　I　have　not；　and　so　I　request　you　to　let　me　finish
my　breakfast　first；〃　said　Thugut；　attacking　once　more　the　wing　of
the　turkey　on　his　plate。

A　long　pause　ensued。　The　men　stood　in　the　most　painful　embarrassment
at　the　door；　where　the　minister's　stern　glance　had　arrested　them；
and　a　most　unpleasant　apprehension　of　what　might　be　the　result　of
this　scene　began　to　take　hold　of　their　minds。　Flashing　sword…blades
and　muskets　aimed　at　their　breasts　would　not　have　frightened　them　so
much　as　the　aspect　of　the　calm；　proud；　and　forbidding　figure　of　the
minister；　and　the　utter　indifference；　the　feeling　of　perfect
security　with　which　he　took　his　breakfast　in　full　view　of　a
seditious　mob　filled　the　rioters　with　serious　apprehensions　for　the
safety　of　their　own　persons。

〃I　am　sure　a　good　many　soldiers　and　policemen　are　hidden　about　the
palace；〃　thought　Mr。　Wenzel；　〃and　that　is　the　reason　why　he
permitted　us　to　enter；　and　why　he　is　now　so　calm　and　unconcerned；
for　as　soon　as　we　get　into　the　dining…room；　those　fine…looking
footmen　will　lock　the　door　behind；　and　the　soldiers　will　rush　out　of
that　other　door　and　arrest　us。〃

These　pleasant　reflections　were　interrupted　by　another　terrible
glance　from　the　mi