dance upon the old
gentleman had thrust Seraphina's image into the background. But as soon
as his sickness abated somewhat, my thoughts returned with more
liveliness to that moment in the Baroness's room, which I now looked
upon as a star--a bright star--that had set, for me at least, for ever.
An occurrence which now happened, by making me shudder with an ice-cold
thrill as at sight of a visitant from the world of spirits, revived
all the pain I had formerly felt. One evening, as I was opening the
pocket-book which I had carried whilst at R--sitten, there fell out of
the papers I was unfolding a dark curl, wrapped about with a white
ribbon; I immediately recognised it as Seraphina's hair. But, on
examining the ribbon more closely, I distinctly perceived the mark of a
spot of blood on it! Perhaps Adelheid had skilfully contrived to
secrete it about me during the moments of conscious insanity by which I
had been affected during the last days of our visit; but why was the
spot of blood there? It excited forebodings of something terrible in my
mind, and almost converted this too pastoral love-token into an awful
admonition, pointing to a passion which might entail the expenditure of
precious blood. It was the same white ribbon that had fluttered about
me in light wanton sportiveness as it were the first time I sat near
Seraphina, and which Mysterious Night had stamped as an emblem of
mortal injury. Boys ought not to play with weapons with the dangerous
properties of which they are not familiar.

At last the storms of spring had ceased to bluster, and summer asserted
her rights; and if the cold had formerly been unbearable, so now too
was the heat when July came in. The old gentleman visibly gathered
strength, and following his usual custom, went out to a garden in the
suburbs. One still, warm evening, as we sat in the sweet-smelling
jasmine arbour, he was in unusually good spirits, and not, as was
generally the case, overflowing with sarcasm and irony, but in a gentle
and almost soft and melting mood. "Cousin," he began, "I don't know how
it is, but I feel so nice and warm and comfortable all over to-day; I
have not felt like it for many years. I believe it is an augury that I
shall die soon." I exerted myself to drive these gloomy thoughts from
his mind. "Never mind, cousin," he said, "in any case I'm not long for
this world; and so I will now discharge a debt I owe you. Do you still
remember our autumn in R--sitten?" Thi