the stream, and from which I could hear the sound of a voice, singing to
the accompaniment of a guitar. There was a stern and solemn quietude in
the scene; the dark fortress, the darker river, the deep woods casting
their shadows on the water, all presented a strange contrast to that
girlish voice and tinkling melody, so light-hearted and so free.

The Magyar seemed to read what was passing in my mind, for he nodded
significantly, and touching his cap in token of respect, said it was
the young Archduchess Maria Louisa, who, with one or two of her ladies,
enjoyed the cool of the evening on the river. This was the very same
princess for whose likeness I was so eager, and of whom I never could
obtain the slightest tidings. With what an interest that barque became
invested from that moment! I had more than suspected, I had divined,
the reasons of General Marmont's commission to me, and could picture to
myself the great destiny that in all likelihood awaited her who now,
in sickly dalliance, moved her hand in the stream, and scattered the
sparkling drops in merry mood over her companions. Twice or thrice a
head of light-brown hair peeped from beneath the folds of the awning,
and I wondered within myself if it were on that same brow that the
greatest diadem of Europe was to sit.

So intent was I on these fancies, so full of the thousand speculations
that grew out of them, that I paid no attention to what was passing,
and never noticed an object on which the Hungarian's eyes were bent in
earnest contemplation. A quick gesture and a sudden exclamation from the
man soon attracted me, and I beheld, about a quarter of a mile off, an
enormous timber raft descending the stream at headlong speed. That
the great mass had become unmanageable, and was carried along by the
impetuosity of the current, was plain enough, not only from the zigzag
course it took, but from the wild cries and frantic gestures of the men
on board. Though visible to us from the eminence on which we stood, a
bend of the stream still concealed it from those in the boat. To apprise
them of their danger, we shouted with all our might, gesticulating at
the same time, and motioning to them to put in to shore. It was all in
vain; the roar of the river, which here is almost a torrent, drowned our
voices, and the little boat still held her place in the middle of the
stream. Already the huge mass was to be seen emerging from behind a
wooden promontory of the riverside, an