once a week during his well-known breakfast and dinner hours.

To-day, however, the minister's rapid and inquisitive glances did
not discover a single guest. Nobody was in the room except the eight
foot-men who stood behind the chairs. Well aware of their master's
stern and indomitable spirit, they occupied their usual places, but
their faces were very pale, and their eyes turned with an expression
of extreme anxiety toward the windows which, just then, trembled
again under the heavy, thundering blows levelled at the front door.

"Cowards!" muttered Thugut, while walking to his chair at the upper
end of the table and beckoning Count Saurau to take a seat at his
side.

At this moment, however, the door was hastily opened, and the
steward, pale and with distorted features, rushed into the room.




CHAPTER III.

THE INTERVIEW.


"Excuse me, your excellency," said he, "but this time they are
assuredly in earnest. The people are storming the front door--the
hinges are beginning to give way, and in fifteen minutes, at the
latest, the scoundrels will have forced an entrance!"