Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/258

 (missing page)

pew of the Marchioness, because he would have been obliged to climb over all the other seats.

"There was only one lady in our company, who, however, had almost spoiled the whole sport. For when she saw the poor Chevalier climbing over the pews, and heard him groan in a most rueful accent, she broke out into an immoderate laughter, and endeavouring to stifle it, rendered it only more hideous. I had placed myself near the organ; and being at a loss how to remedy the fault she had committed, accompanied her with a still more disharmonious passage on the instrument. This produced an effect which surpassed my most sanguine expectation, as but little wind was in the bellows, and I never was an adept in music.

"The poor Chevalier was almost petrified. He sat down in a pew, and awaited, in a kind of stupefaction, the things that were to come. I am sure he would have cared neither for the fan nor for his reputation, if he had had the least hope of getting safe out of the chapel. In this distress he looked anxiously about for an asylum, and seeing something of a white colour, which were the pillars of the pulpit, shine through the dusk, that prevailed around him, he climbed over the remaining pews to get at that supposed place of safety.

"We thought it our duty to light him on that expedition. A great electric machine, which the Marquis had ordered to be placed near the pulpit, served our purpose excellently, emitting from the conductor, at first, large sparks, and then a whole electric stream. We also lighted some candles of the large chandelier, which was suspended in the centre of the chapel, by means of a quantity of hemp, which was overspread with sulphur and pitch. However, we soon extinguished the candles again. Two servants, who were stationed at the church-yard, broke some panes of glass, which came with a great noise into the chapel: the doors were opened and shut again; the howling of cats was imitated; some of the company blew a strong current of air into his face by means of large bellows; the shrill sound of whistles re-echoed from every corner; and as the effect of the electrical machine grew stronger, whole streams of fire illuminated the chapel at intervals