take down their names for the purpose of punishing them by and by,
as we Europeans unfortunately cannot imitate the example of that
blessed Queen of Egypt, who took a thousand conspirators by the
tails, and, holding them in her left hand, cut off their thousand
seditious heads with one stroke of the sword in her right hand.
Unfortunately, we have to act by far more cautiously."

"But why did you dismiss all the rioters this time without giving
them into custody?" asked the count, moodily.

"Why, we have them all by the tails, anyhow," laughed Thugut, "for
have not we got the list of the names here? Ah, my dear little
count, perhaps you thought I would have gone in my generosity so far
as to tear this list, throw the pieces away, and avert my head, like
the pious bishop who found a murderer under his bed, permitted him
to escape, and averted his head in order not to see the fugitive's
face and may be recognize him on some future occasion? I like to
know the faces of my enemies, and to find out their names, and,
depend upon it, I shall never, never forget the names I read on this
list."

"But for the time being, these scoundrels, having escaped with
impunity, will go home in triumph, and repeat the same game as soon
as another occasion offers."

"Ah, I see you do not know the people at all! Believe me, we could
not have frightened them worse than by letting them go. They are
perfectly conscious of their guilt. The very idea of not having
received any punishment at our hands fills them with misgivings, and
they tremble every moment in the expectation that they will have to