e; were it not Good Friday, I would invite you to go out
hunting." The old man pressed Albert's hand once more, and left the
room; and soon after he saw him ride out of the castle towards the
wood.

When the young man found himself alone, he commenced putting his dress
in order, which in consequence of his recent adventures, required some
attention. Whoever has been in the vicinity of the lady of his love,
under Albert's circumstances, will not blame him for taking advantage
of a piece of polished metal, which served as a looking-glass, hanging
on the wall, to arrange his beard and hair. Having brushed his jacket,
and removed all traces of having passed the night underground, he went
into the large saloon, and sought among the many windows which
surrounded it, the one which would give him the best view of the path
leading up to the castle from the church of the village in the valley
below, whither Bertha had gone to hear mass.

Cheering thoughts passed through his mind, in rapid succession, like
bright vapours flying under the blue vault of heaven. He was now on the
spot which had long been the object of his ardent desire to visit; he
viewed the mountains and rocks which Bertha had often spoke about; he
felt a charm in being in the same house which had been the dwelling of
her childhood, and in which she had grown up to woman's estate.

Albert went into the small spot of ground within the walls of the
castle, adorned with flowers, and which assumed the name of garden.
Again his imagination wandered, in the pleasing supposition that it had
been created by her orders; the flowers appeared to speak to him in her
name--he was in the act of bending under a tree to pluck a violet, when
he heard footsteps at the gate. He turned around to observe who it
might be, it was indeed Bertha herself--she stood there wrapt in
surprise and motionless, scarcely trusting her eyes. He flew to her,
and pressed her to his heart; her astonishment at the unexpected
apparition gave way to the conviction that it was really her lover, and
not his spirit that embraced her. They had more to ask each other than
they knew well how to answer in the first transport of joy, for they
could with difficulty convince themselves that it was not a dream, thus
to find themselves in each other's presence without fear or
interruption. Having returned to the house, Bertha said,

"How much have I suffered on your account, dearest Albert; and with
what a heavy h