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THE DEVIL'S AMBASSADOR 141
virtues had I to boast of, I who had been the
mock of the village ? Paul told me this old
Count was all-powerful, but a drunken fool,
and said to enjoy pretty women. If I enslaved
this old reprobate, and got him in my
power, I would do a great service to my
lover, and, in fact, save his life, for the Count
had some political secret which he could use
against him ; and so, with these explanations,
which somehow confused and overwhelmed
me, he departed.
" '
The missus '
of the house came in, and
expended all the cunning of her art in
making me a beautiful creature. And then
the Count was introduced. He was accompanied
by a young man, tall and broad, but
of almost boyish appearance, and beautifully
dressed. The Count was old, very ugly,
also very well dressed, and he wore some sort
of an Order on a blue ribbon. The two men
asked permission to order wine and to smoke.
" '
Ah, you see/ exclaimed the Count, '
you
see we make it our business to enjoy ourselves
here and be happy/
"
Then the old gentleman said to his young
companion, '
Claude, you may go now/ and
the old wretch took my hand and kissed my
fingers.
"
Claude rose to depart. Holding out his
hand to me he squeezed mine three times,
and seemed to look at me as if he had some
message for me. I could not understand at
the time what he meant, but later I under-
stood.