the sixteenth century, about
sixty years after 1519. It is stated therein, "In the upper story,
there is a remarkable handsome room, surrounded on all sides by
windows, from which may be seen the Asperg. The banished Duke Ulerich
of Wuertemberg, who often visited it, came every night to the castle,
and saying, 'The man is here!' was immediately received." A
gamekeeper's house is now built upon the ruins of the old castle, which
still retains its name, and serves on Whitsunday as a place of
rendezvous for the peasantry of the surrounding country, who assemble
in their gayest dresses for dancing and carousal.]

CHAPTER XXI.

The noble spirit of the victim brave
Affects the knight, he feels that he must save;
The dews of friendship o'er his eyelids steal,
His heart no longer can resist th' appeal.
P. CONZ.

When the two men were left alone in the saloon of Lichtenstein, the old
knight gazed at Albert full in the face, with a scrutinizing eye, as if
to satisfy himself of the honesty of his looks. The noble features of
his visitor convinced him of the purity of his heart, and animated the
old man's eye with a ray of joy. The air of melancholy which habitually
sat on his brow had vanished, he became cheerful, he received Albert as
a father would a son, who had returned from a long journey. A tear at
length stole from his brilliant eye; but it was a tear of joy, for he
pressed the astonished youth to his heart.

"It is not often that I am betrayed into this weakness," he said to
Albert, "but in moments such as these nature gives way, because they
happen seldom. Dare I indeed trust my old eyes? Do the contents of this
letter deceive me? Is the seal really his? and can I believe it? but
why do I doubt! has not nature stampt the impression of her noblest
gifts upon your open forehead? Oh, yes, honesty is too visibly depicted
on your countenance; you cannot deceive me; the cause of my unfortunate
master has gained another friend!"

"If you allude to the cause of the banished Duke, you are not mistaken;
it has found a warm partisan in me. Report has long since reached my
ear of the knight of Lichtenstein being a faithful friend of his, and
with this assurance I should perhaps have presented myself to you ere
this, of my own accord, without the introduction of the unfortunate man
in the c