props were bound round with strong ropes, which were to be pulled by horses to draw them suddenly from under the roof and walls, and we only waited for midnight; but while we were thus busy a coach drove up to the door, and the expected commissioner made his appearance. But I really believe you are laughing at me and my story, which is very uncivil—well, I will keep it to myself.”
“Quite the contrary,” said the professor; “your story is very interesting to us, and I beg you most earnestly to continue; our laughing was occasioned by a similar history we heard no great while ago.”
“Oh, you must tell us that!” exclaimed the lady.
“Afterwards,” replied the professor; “but first permit us to hear the conclusion of your adventure.
“You left off at the arrival of the commissioner,” said the counsellor.
“Ah, true,” replied his lady, smiling; “I had more business to perform yet, that evening. He was a young and handsome man—what was his name? let me recollect—oh! Ettmüller.”
“The Herr Ettmüller!” exclaimed her husband, gaily. “Ettmüller a young and handsome man! Why he was a dry, withered old fellow, who died five years ago in his eighty-sixth year.”
“What then?” observed she, “that must have been another person; this commissioner, I tell you, was a well-formed man about your size; and, as I recollect, his voice resembled yours very much; so you may imagine I was not a little taken with him—but, professor, you make me quite angry with your laughing; and you, too, are beginning again, my dear: you are both of you making a jest of me.”—
The professor deprecated, the husband flattered, and both begged her to proceed with her story.
“—But then let no one laugh again!” threatened the fair narrator, “else I am quite mute. Well, this handsome commissioner arrived; but he was by far too polite; for he prated such fine things to my friend, about her romantic abode in the old convent, and his own fondness for these fatal antiquarian researches, that she lost all hope that he would be opposed to her husband, and report the necessity of a new building. She, therefore, desired me to superintend the remaining preparations, whilst she entertained her guest; but I presume she was little edified by this antiquarian commissioner, for she soon had him conducted to his room, and came to assist us in our arrangements for our work.
But we were not a little frightened as we were going about the court to look after the workmen, who were already chopping at the props, that they might give way the easier, to see a light in one of the windows of the very part of the house about to be precipitated; and in the instant it occurred to us that the stupid servant Peter, who was ignorant of our intentions, had conducted the stranger into the former state-room, which was at that instant expected to fall; we instantly called to the workmen to stop, and ordered the horses to be unfastened from the ropes; but the question now was, how we were to get the guest out of the tottering building without betraying all. My friend was so agitated by fear that she could hardly stand; I do not know how, but I mustered courage enough to determine to call him myself. Let him conjecture what he will, thought I, so he be once rescued. I accordingly ran to his
