Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/245

 theless invent a series of brilliant adventures, and protest, with a thousand oaths, his veracity in what he advanced.

"Well invented!" would we often cry, though there was not a syllable of truth in all he said. But then he would pledge his honor, his life and courage to prove his assertions, which made us resolve at last, to choose the first opportunity, to put that courage to the test.

"Our new-married friend gave us the best reception, and himself and his lady soon discovered the weak side of Braggart, whose boasted qualities we soon found, occasion to try.

"Being all at supper one night in the lodge of the garden, we were suddenly alarms ed by an uncommon noise in the castle. Some servants, quite pale and trembling, came to inform our host, they had seen an apparition in one of the apartments. The ladies turned! pale, and frightened rose from their seats, some, of the: gentlemen having happily conquered the first approaches of fear, began to laugh at the silliness of the do-