Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/405

 guine, and he placed no great reliance in the circumspection of the lady, whom the violence of her passion seemed to have entirely blinded. The least noise, the least rustling made him startle, his face would change color at every creaking of the door, and even the knocks at neighboring houses seemed to alarm him.

One night a loud rapping was heard at our door. The wire was pulled to open it, but nobody came. We both rose to listen, bur could not hear the least noise for several minutes. The count impatiently took a candle, went again to the house-door, and holding his ear for some time to the key-hole, he opened it, went out, and at the distance of two or three yards, found a woman drest in white lying almost lifeless on the ground. He called me to his assistance. We took up the lady, her zendale was torn, and her dress in the utmost derangement. I held the light to her face, and we recognized the dutchess!

Having carried her into our parlor, it was a good while before she recovered her senses. Her voice was bewildered, and the first wish she expressed was to be brought home. We