The count arrived at Arpa Castle in the late evening, as his telegram had announced; but only the next morning did they all gather to greet each other. The count was jovial and relaxed, and had a wealth of incidents to relate. His fine sense of the comic lent color and life to all his stories.

“And now I’m eager to know,” he continued, “what has happened here in the meantime, here and in the wider world. I haven't had a newspaper in my hands for four days, and don't even know if Gambetta has taken his revenge or not. I suspect not, but I’d be glad to have it confirmed. And this I would like to hear, if possible, from sister Judith. Yes—Judith shall read; after all, she's had the paper in her hand for a quarter of an hour, waiting for me to stop talking. I didn't let her silent criticism interrupt me in mid-speech; all the same, I constantly felt that her impatience and her long face were sucking the marrow out of my account of the sessions at Gruz. So, as a punishment, Judith, read, and start with France. That's always the most interesting. Even their squabbles are full of life.”

He continued to talk and gave the impression that his wish to hear about the wider world was none too pressing. But at length he recollected himself and said, “Well, what have you found? Give us the essentials.”