Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/243

 of war, and delicacy could scarce prevent him from detailing his gallant achievements among the ladies. I am convinced, he would actually have persuaded himself to believe all he said, so little did he observe the sarcastic smiles of several gentlemen and ladies, and we would have been condemned to listen to him till morning, had not the count, at the conclusion of a long adventure, interrupted and disconcerted the narrator, with the following phrase, which he had frequently used in the course of his tale.

"And here they awoke!"

The half-stifled laughter of the company, which accompanied this wicked sally, struck the baron dumb, and fired him with shame and rage for several minutes.

He then endeavored to vent his spleen against the count, who, with an insinuating air, addressed himself to the social circle, craving permission to relate likewise a story of that time. We all nodded applause, and beginning his narration with some significant glances at the baron, who would not have done speaking, had not the clamors of the company called him to order, he thus continued: