chair for the young
lady, the forester began to tell a tale of terror from the neighboring
district, and in a few minutes Lenore was sitting with them, exchanging
views on the course of events. Just as the punch was ready, and she
poured it into two glasses and a mug, in came Anton. She did not exactly
want him just then, but, however, he found no fault, and merely turned
and beckoned to a stranger to come in. A slender youth in a blue coat,
with bright woolen epaulettes, a soldier's cap in his hand, and wide
linen trowsers pushed into his boots, proudly entered the room. As soon
as he saw the lady, he was at her knees, and then he stood before her
with downcast eyes, cap in hand. Karl went up to him: "Now then,
Blasius, what news from the tavern?"

"Oh, nothing," replied the youth, in the melodious cadence with which
the Pole speaks broken German. "Peasant sits, and drinks, and is merry."

"Are there strangers there? Has any one come from Tarow?"

"No one," said Blasius. "No one is there; but the host's niece is come
to him, Rebecca, the Jewish maiden." Meanwhile he looked steadfastly at
Lenore, as though it were to her that he had to deliver his report.

Lenore stepped to the table, poured out a glass of punch, and gave it to
the youth, who received it with delight, quaffed it, set down the glass,
and bent again at the lady's knee with a grace that a prince might have
envied.

"You need never fear," cried he. "No one in the village will harm you;
if any one offended you, we would kill him at once."

Lenore blushed and said, looking at Anton the while, "You know I have no
fear, at all events of you;" and Karl dismissed the messenger with
orders to return in an hour. As he left the room, Lenore said to Anton,
"How graceful his bearing is!"

"He was in the Guards," replied Anton, "and is not the worst lad in the
village; but I pray you not to rely too much upon the chivalry of the
worthy Blasius and his friends. I was uneasy about you again all the
afternoon, and sent your maid to meet you on the Rosmin road; for a
traveling apprentice came running to the castle, frightened out of his
senses, saying that he had been detained by an armed lady, and obliged
to produce his passport. According to his story, the lady had a
monstrous dog, as large as a cow, with her, and he complained that her
aspect was awful. The poor man was positively beside himself."

"He was a craven," said Lenore, contemptuously. "As soon as he