led mind.

It was past midnight when they arrived at the summit of the highest
hill, and having reached the skirts of the wood, they beheld the castle
of Lichtenstein before them, situated upon an insulated perpendicular
rock, rising as if by magic from the depths of darkness, and separated
by a broad chasm from the surrounding country. Its white walls, its
indented rocks, glimmered in the moonlight; it seemed as if the castle
slumbered in the profound tranquillity of solitude, cut off from the
rest of the world.

Albert cast a troubled glance towards it, and sprang from his horse,
which he fastened to a tree, and sat down on a stone covered with moss
directly opposite the castle. The guide stood waiting for further
orders, and asked several times in vain, whether his services were
required any longer.

"How long is it to the first crow of cock?" inquired Albert at last.

"Two hours, sir," was the answer of the lad.

He then gave him a handsome reward for his conduct, and made signs to
him to depart. The boy hesitated to obey him, as if afraid of leaving
the young man in his present state of mind; but, upon his repeating the
sign with impatience, he withdrew with a slow step. He looked back once
before he regained the wood, and observed his silent master still
seated upon the same stone, under an oak, with his hand supporting his
head.

CHAPTER XIII.

This hollow path must be his way,
It doth to Kuessnacht lead,
So here I will his coming stay,
And here I'll do the deed.
SCHILLER.

Much has been said and written in all ages upon the folly of jealousy,
but since the days of Uriah the world has nevertheless not grown wiser
upon the subject.

The news which Albert von Sturmfeder had heard from the hostess of the
Golden Stag respecting the nocturnal visits of the stranger to the
castle of Lichtenstein, had created a feeling in his breast to which it
had hitherto been a perfect stranger, and he did not possess sufficient
coolness of blood, to exercise his judgment with calmness and
moderation, upon a subject of such vital importance to his future
prospects. Though he was of an age in which an open generous
disposition places implicit reliance in the honour of others, yet taken
by surprise, as his unsuspicious heart now was, in its dearest
affections, the consequences were likely to becom