The Count and his offspring meanwhile conversed with some cordiality. The former informed the latter of all the diseases to which he was subject， his manner of curing them， his great consideration as chamberlain to the Duke of Bavaria； how he wore his Court suits， and of a particular powder which he had invented for the hair； how， when he was seventeen， he had run away with a canoness， egad！ who was afterwards locked up in a convent， and grew to be sixteen stone in weight； how he remembered the time when ladies did not wear patches； and how the Duchess of Marlborough boxed his ears when he was so high， because he wanted to kiss her.
All these important anecdotes took some time in the telling， and were accompanied by many profound moral remarks； such as， "I can't abide garlic， nor white-wine， stap me！ nor Sauerkraut， though his Highness eats half a bushel per day. I ate it the first time at Court； but when they brought it me a second time， Irefused--refused， split me and grill me if I didn't！ Everybody stared； his Highness looked as fierce as a Turk； and that infernal Krahwinkel (my dear， I did for him afterwards)--that cursed Krahwinkel， I say， looked as pleased as possible， and whispered to Countess Fritsch， 'Blitzchen， Frau Grafinn，' says he， 'it's all over with Galgenstein.' What did I do？ I had the entree， and demanded it. 'Altesse，' says I， falling on one knee， 'I ate no kraut at dinner to-day. You remarked it： I saw your Highness remark it.'
"'I did， M. le Comte，' said his Highness， gravely.
"I had almost tears in my eyes； but it was necessary to come to a resolution， you know. 'Sir，' said I， 'I speak with deep grief to your Highness， who are my benefactor， my friend， my father； but of this I am resolved， I WILL NEVER EAT SAUERKRAUT MORE： it don't agree with me. After being laid up for four weeks by the last dish of Sauerkraut of which I partook， I may say with confidence--ITDON'T agree with me. By impairing my health， it impairs my intellect， and weakens my strength； and both I would keep for your Highness's service.'
"'Tut， tut！' said his Highness. 'Tut， tut， tut！' Those were his very words.
"'Give me my sword or my pen，' said I. 'Give me my sword or my pen， and with these Maximilian de Galgenstein is ready to serve you； but sure，--sure， a great prince will pity the weak health of a faithful subject， who does not know how to eat Sauerkraut？' His Highness was walking about the room： I was still on my knees， and stretched forward my hand to seize his coat.
"'GEHT ZUM TEUFEL， Sir！' said he， in a loud voice (it means 'Go to the deuce，' my dear)，--'Geht zum Teufel， and eat what you like！'
With this he went out of the room abruptly； leaving in my hand one of his buttons， which I keep to this day. As soon as I was alone， amazed by his great goodness and bounty， I sobbed aloud--cried like a child" (the Count's eyes filled and winked at the very recollection)， "and when I went back into the card-room， stepping up to Krahwinkel， 'Count，' says I， 'who looks foolish now？'--Hey there， La Rose， give me the diamond-- Yes， that was the very pun I made， and very good it was thought. 'Krahwinkel，' says I， 'WHO LOOKSFOOLISH NOW？' and from that day to this I was never at a Court-day asked to eat Sauerkraut--NEVER！""Hey there， La Rose！ Bring me that diamond snuff-box in the drawer of my secretaire；" and the snuff-box was brought. "Look at it， my dear，" said the Count， "for I saw you seemed to doubt. There is the button--the very one that came off his Grace's coat."Mr. Billings received it， and twisted it about with a stupid air.
The story had quite mystified him； for he did not dare yet to think his father was a fool--his respect for the aristocracy prevented him.
When the Count's communications had ceased， which they did as soon as the story of the Sauerkraut was finished， a silence of some minutes ensued. Mr. Billings was trying to comprehend the circumstances above narrated； his Lordship was exhausted； the chaplain had quitted the room directly the word Sauerkraut was mentioned--he knew what was coming. His Lordship looked for some time at his son； who returned the gaze with his mouth wide open.
"Well，" said the Count--"well， sir？ What are you sitting there for？
If you have nothing to say， sir， you had better go. I had you here to amuse me--split me--and not to sit there staring！"Mr. Billings rose in a fury.
"Hark ye， my lad，" said the Count， "tell La Rose to give thee five guineas， and， ah--come again some morning. A nice well-grown young lad，" mused the Count， as Master Tommy walked wondering out of the apartment； "a pretty fellow enough， and intelligent too.""Well， he IS an odd fellow， my father，" thought Mr. Billings， as he walked out， having received the sum offered to him. And he immediately went to call upon his friend Polly Briggs， from whom he had separated in the morning.
What was the result of their interview is not at all necessary to the progress of this history. Having made her， however， acquainted with the particulars of his visit to his father， he went to his mother's， and related to her all that had occurred.
Poor thing， she was very differently interested in the issue of it！
第一章SHOWING HOW GALGENSTEIN AND MRS. CAT RECOGNISE EACHOTHER IN MARYLEBONE GARDENS--AND HOW THE COUNT DRIVES HER HOME INHIS CARRIAGE.
About a month after the touching conversation above related， there was given， at Marylebone Gardens， a grand concert and entertainment， at which the celebrated Madame Amenaide， a dancer of the theatre at Paris， was to perform， under the patronage of several English and foreign noblemen； among whom was his Excellency the Bavarian Envoy.
Madame Amenaide was， in fact， no other than the maitresse en titre of the Monsieur de Galgenstein， who had her a great bargain from the Duke de Rohan-Chabot at Paris.