“I believe it was some three days ago,” replied Wapherney.
“That was,” said Richard in a low voice, “the morning before Baron Ordener’s brief appearance and mysteriously sudden disappearance.”
“Stay!” quickly exclaimed Wapherney, before Arthur had time to answer; “if here is not another tribuatur on Benignus Spiagudry’s ridiculous petition!”
Richard burst out laughing.
“Didn’t that old keeper of corpses disappear in a strange way, too?”
“Yes,” replied Arthur; “a body was found in his charnel-house so mutilated that the officers of the law are in pursuit of him on a charge of sacrilege. But a little Lapp, who acted as his servant, and who was left alone at the Spladgest, thinks, as do most people, that the Devil carried him off for a sorcerer.”
“Here,” said Wapherney, laughing, “is a fellow who leaves a good reputation behind him!”
He had hardly had his laugh out when the fourth secretary came in.
“Upon my honor, Gustavus, you are very late this morning. Did you happen to get married yesterday?”
“Oh, no!” answered Wapherney; “he only took the longest way round, so that he might pass under the fair Rosalie’s windows in his new cloak.”