The whole company broke out into a roaring laughter; and the decision of the wager depending on the confession of the other party, they pressed the poor Count, in their merry humour, to confess the fact. My friend being armed with no other weapon of defence, but a cane, was in danger of being torn to pieces. He defended himself as well as he could; but, without the assistance of some soldiers, who came to his relief, he would probably have been forced to make the ridiculous confession.
Thus he was seasonably extricated from the danger which had threatened him; but, far from taking the whole affair for what it really was, an accidental frolick, he imagined it to have been pre-concerted, to give him a hint of the infidelity of his mistress; he fancied, at least, the whole town was already informed of his cuckoldom. His blood began violently to ferment, he quickened his steps to the house of his mistress, and entered herapartment
