thing about it; only their friend's valet, to their questions, 'Do any mamselles live on the top floor?' replies that there are a good many. After dinner the two young men go into their friend's library and write a letter to the unknown. They write a passionate letter, a declaration; they themselves carry up the letter, in order to explain whatever in the letter might not be perfectly understood."
"But why do you tell me such horrible things? Well?"
"They ring. A girl comes to the door; they give her the letter, telling her they are so desperately in love that they are ready to die, there at the door. The girl is in doubt and parleys with them. Suddenly a gentleman appears, red as a lobster and with side-whiskers like sausages, declares that there is no one there except his wife, and unceremoniously puts them out of the door."
"How did you know that his side-whiskers were like sausages?"
"But now listen. I have just made peace between them."
"Well! what came of it?"
"This is the most interesting part of the affair. The happy couple prove to be a titular counselor and his wife. The titular counselor brings a complaint, and I am obliged to serve as peacemaker. What a peacemaker! .... I assure you Talleyrand compared to me was nobody."
"What were your difficulties?"
"Here now! Listen! .... We make excuses as in duty bound, as: 'We are desperately sorry,' we said; 'we beg you to pardon us for this unfortunate misunderstanding.' The titular counselor with the sausage-whiskers seemed to be thawing; but he felt it necessary to express his feelings, and as soon as he began to express his feelings he began to get wrathy, and to say harsh things, and again I was obliged to bring all my diplomatic talents into requisition: 'I agree that their conduct was reprehensible, but please take into consideration that there was a misunderstanding; they were young, and had just
