---- occupied was somewhat retired, and its windows
looked upon the castle-yard. In the night he was suddenly startled up
out of his sleep, and was under the impression that he had been
awakened by a distant and pitiable moan. But listen as he would, all
remained still as the grave, and so he was obliged to conclude that the
sound which had fallen upon his ears was the delusion of a dream. But
at the same time he was seized with such a peculiar feeling of
breathless anxiety and terror that he could not stay in bed. He got up
and approached the window. It was not long, however, before the castle
door was opened, and a figure with a blazing torch came out of the
castle and went across the court-yard. V---- recognised the figure as
that of old Daniel, and saw him open the stable-door and go in, and
soon afterwards bring out a saddle horse. Now a second figure came into
view out of the darkness, well wrapped in furs, and with a fox-skin cap
on his head. V---- perceived that it was Hubert; but after he had
spoken excitedly with Daniel for some minutes, he returned into the
castle. Daniel led back the horse into the stable and locked the
door, and also that of the castle, after he had returned across the
court-yard in the same way in which he crossed it before. It was
evident Hubert had intended to go away on horseback, but had suddenly
changed his mind; and no less evident was it that there was a dangerous
understanding of some sort between Hubert and the old house-steward.
V---- looked forward to the morning with burning impatience; he would
acquaint the Freiherr with the occurrences of the night. Really it was
now time to take precautionary measures against the attacks of Hubert's
malice, which V---- was now convinced, had been betrayed in his
agitated behaviour of the day before.

Next morning, at the hour when the Freiherr was in the habit of rising,
V---- heard people running backwards and forwards, doors opened and
slammed to, and a tumultuous confusion of voices talking and shouting.
On going out of his room he met servants everywhere, who, without
heeding him, ran past him with ghastly pale faces, upstairs,
downstairs, in and out the rooms. At length he ascertained that the
Freiherr was missing, and that they had been looking for him for hours
in vain. As he had gone to bed in the presence of his personal
attendant, he must have afterwards got up and gone away somewhere in
his dressing-gown and slippers, taking the l