rden." "And he is really dead?" I asked hastily. "Whom do
you mean?" replied the Lady fair, looking at me in surprise. "Your
ladyship's husband," said I, "who was with you on the balcony." She
flushed crimson. "What strange fancies you have in your head!" she
exclaimed. "That was the Countess's son, who had just returned from
his travels, and, since it happened to be my birthday, he led me out
on the balcony with him that I might have a share of the cheers. Was
that why you ran away?" "Good heavens, yes!" I cried, striking my
forehead with my hand. She shook her head and laughed merrily.

I was so happy there beside her while she went on chatting so
confidingly, that I could have sat listening until morning. I found in
my pocket a handful of almonds which I had brought with me from Italy.
She took some, and we sat and cracked them and gazed abroad over the
quiet country. "Do you see that little white villa," she said after a
while, "gleaming over there in the moonlight? The Count has given us
that, with its garden and vineyard; there is where we are to live. He
found out long ago that we cared for each other, and he is very fond
of you, for if he had not had you with them when he was running
off with Fraeulein Flora they would both have been caught before the
Countess had become reconciled to him, and everything would have been
spoiled." "Good heavens! fairest, sweetest Countess," I cried out,
"my head is fairly spinning with all this unexpected and amazing
information; are you talking of Herr Lionardo?" "Yes, yes," she
replied; "that is what he called himself in Italy; he owns all that
property over there, and he is going to marry our Countess's daughter,
the lovely Flora. But why do you call me Countess?" I stared at her.
"I am no Countess," she went on. "Our Countess took me into the castle
and had me educated under her care when my uncle, the Porter, brought
me here a poor little orphan child."

Ah, what a stone fell from my heart at these words! "God bless the
Porter," I said in an ecstasy, "for being our uncle! I always set
great store by him." "And he would be very fond of you," she replied,
"if you would only comport yourself with more dignity, as he expresses
it. You must dress with greater elegance." "Oh," I exclaimed,
enchanted, "an English dress-coat, straw hat, long trousers, and
spurs! And as soon as we're married we will take a trip to Italy--to
Rome--where lovely fountains are playing, and we'll take wi