hat I threw my arms
about her, that a long ardent kiss was imprinted on my lips? How am I
to account for it that I did not lose my senses when she drew me softly
towards her, how that I tore myself from her arms, and, quickly rising
to my feet, hurried to the pianoforte? Turning from me, the Baroness
took a few steps towards the window, then she turned round again and
approached me with an air of almost proud dignity, which was not at all
usual with her. Looking me straight in the face, she said, "Your uncle
is the most worthy old man I know; he is the guardian-angel of our
family. May he include me in his pious prayers!" I was unable to utter
a word; the subtle poison that I had imbibed with her kiss burned and
boiled in every pulse and nerve. Lady Adelheid came in. The violence of
my inward conflict burst out at length in a passionate flood of tears,
which I was unable to repress. Adelheid looked at me with wonder and
smiled dubiously;--I could have murdered her. The Baroness gave me her
hand, and said with inexpressible gentleness, "Farewell, my dear
friend. Fare you right well; and remember that nobody perhaps has ever
understood your music better than I have. Oh! these notes! they will
echo long, long in my heart." I forced myself to utter a few stupid,
disconnected words, and hurried up to my uncle's room. The old
gentleman had already gone to bed. I stayed in the hall, and falling
upon my knees, I wept aloud; I called upon my beloved by name, I gave
myself up completely and regardlessly to all the absurd folly of a
love-sick lunatic, until at last the extravagant noise I made awoke my
uncle. But his loud call, "Cousin, I believe you have gone cranky, or
else you're having another tussle with a wolf. Be off to bed with you
if you will be so very kind"--these words compelled me to enter his
room, where I got into bed with the fixed resolve to dream only of
Seraphina.

It would be somewhere past midnight when I thought I heard distant
voices, a running backwards and forwards, and an opening and banging of
doors--for I had not yet fallen asleep. I listened attentively; I heard
footsteps approaching the corridor; the hall door was opened, and soon
there came a knock at our door. "Who is there?" I cried. A voice from
without answered, "Herr Justitiarius, Herr Justitiarius, wake up, wake
up!" I recognised Francis's voice, and as I asked, "Is the castle on
fire?" the old gentleman woke up in his turn and asked, "Where--w