272 Biograph iced Sketch of Mile. SoHtag. [S EPT. 



" Let me breathe, dearest lady," said Briickbaver, " and you sliall learn the cause. 

 Never, surely, was any director of a theatre at once so gratified and terrified as 

 I have been within the last five minutes. I had just called on the cashier of the 

 house to ascertain how it stood respecting the tickets for to-morrow's opera, 

 wherein you are to appear as Amanda, and learnt that one only was left. Two 

 officers entered at the same moment mutual friends each inquiring, as if with 

 one breath, whether places were to be had. The cashier exhibited the solitary 

 ticket like tigers, both sprang at it: a dispute arose; we tried to interfere, but 

 in vain ! Already swords were drawn, and the steels clashed together : both 

 were practised fighters, and their strokes fell swift as lightning, and thick as 

 hailstones ! Nor had more than a minute scarcely passed, before one of the 

 combatants lay bleeding on the earth, whilst the other (who had not himself 

 escaped without receiving a wound) struck triumphantly the point of his sword 

 into the ticket, and retired with his dearly-bought prize."* 



" And the wounded officer?" demanded Henrietta. 



" They were taking him to his barracks," answered the director. 



" God damn it!" cried my lord, "this affair merited to have taken place in 

 London." 



" Yes," exclaimed Werner, emphatically, " in Bedlam!" 



Lord Monday fidgetted about in evident annoyance at having no ready rejoinder, 

 and would in all probability have sought refuge in some brutal vulgarism, had 

 not a fresh occurrence attracted universal attention. The beautiful songstress 

 herself, who, to conceal her emotion at this serious accident, had turned toward 

 the window, sank fainting upon a chair. 



All rushed to her assistance; and his lordship, anxious to shew himself forward 

 in the business, cried " Her corset must be loosened !" Werner, however, 

 pushed him unceremoniously aside, and, with Louisa's aid, conveyed the fainting 

 girl into an adjacent apartment. He returned immediately, and addressing the com- 

 pany, said" The invalid is confided to the care of becoming attendants ; and 

 as rest and silence are now most important to her well-doing, I trust, gentlemen, 

 you will all see the propriety of following my example." With which words, he 

 seized his hat and departed. 



My lord now inquired of Regenbogen " Tell me, who is that impudent fel- 

 low, who acts here as if he were master of the house ?" 



" Who can be supposed to know every mauvais sujet?" answered Regenbogen, 

 somewhat drily ; " but come," continued he, " doubtless we dine together at his 

 Serene Highness's ?" 



" Certainly," replied Monday ; and they quitted the house, as did likewise the 

 remainder of the party, all of them learning the cause of Henrietta's sudden 

 disorder when they reached the street, namely, that the wounded man had just 

 been carried down it, and must have been seen by her. 



The violent shock which our heroine's nerves had experienced on viewing 

 the body of Maulbeeref carried out of the cashier's house (opposite which she 

 resided) rendered her for some time speechless. On recovering, her first inquiry 

 was after the wounded officer, which the servant was enabled to answer, through 

 the attention of Werner (who had meanwhile made inquiries) satisfactorily. The 

 attendant the n proceeded to communicate a request of Werner's that he might be 

 permitted to renew his call, and favoured with an interview in the evening, as 

 he had something of importance to disclose. This proposition was complied 

 with, and accordingly about dusk the young man re-appeared. Henrietta was at the 

 moment engaged in reading, and every thing around wore the air of deep quiet 

 and seclusion, the room being lighted only by an astral lamp. " I almost fear to 

 interrupt this stillness," said the visitor. " Oh," replied Henrietta, "I rejoice 

 to see you and the rather, as this is literally the first evening which, since my 

 stay in this city, I have been able to call my own." 



Werner took his seat by the lovely girl, and an animated discourse ensued ; in 

 one of the pauses whereof, Werner, half mechanically, took up the book which 



* Matter-of-fact. f Molliere, on officer of artillery. 



