n the utmost astonishment.
"Now we know," said the English lord at length, "why the poor devil of a
sorcerer started in such a terror when he looked more closely into his
face. He knew him to be a spy, and that is why he uttered that shriek,
and fell down before him."
"No!" interrupted the prince. "This man is whatever he wishes to be,
and whatever the moment requires him to be. No mortal ever knew what he
really was. Did you not see the knees of the Sicilian sink under him,
when he said, with that terrible voice: 'Thou shalt summon no more
ghosts?' There is something inexplicable in this matter. No person can
persuade me that one man should be thus alarmed at the sight of
another."
"The sorcerer himself will probably explain it the best," said the
English lord, "if that gentleman," pointing to the officer, "will afford
us an opportunity of speaking with his prisoner."
The officer consented to it, and, having agreed with the Englishman to
visit the Sicilian in the morning, we returned to Venice.
[The Count O-------, whose narrative I have thus far literally
copied, describes minutely the various effects of this adventure
upon the mind of the prince and of his companions, and recounts a
variety of tales of apparitions which this event gave occasion to
introduce. I shall omit giving them to the reader, on the
supposition that he is as curious as myself to know the conclusion
of the adventure, and its effect on the conduct of the prince. I
shall only add that the prince got no sleep the remainder of the
night, and that he waited with impatience for the moment which was
to disclose this incomprehensible mystery, Note of the German
Editor.]
Lord Seymour (this was the name of the Englishman) called upon us very
early in the forenoon, and was soon after followed by a confidential
person whom the officer had entrusted with the care of conducting us to
the prison.
I forgot to mention that one of the prince's domestics, a native of
Bremen, who had served him many years with the strictest fidelity, and
had entirely gained his confidence, had been missing for several days.
Whether he had met with any accident, whether he had been kidnapped,
or had voluntarily absented himself, was a secret to every one. The
last supposition was extremely improbable, as his conduct had always
been quiet and regular, and nobody had ever found fault with him. All
that his companions could recollect was
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