s that he was rather wearisome. The good mother was, on the
contrary, somewhat deaf, and not, like him, jealous of the honor of
entertaining the Count.

The mother joined us. The happy people pressed me to stay longer with
them that evening--I dared not remain another minute. I saw already
the rising moon glimmer on the horizon--my time was up.

The next evening I went again to the Forester's garden. I had thrown
my cloak over my shoulders and pulled my hat over my eyes. I advanced
to Mina. As she looked up and beheld me, she gave an involuntary
start, and there stood again clear before my soul the apparition of
that terrible night when I showed myself in the moonlight without a
shadow. It was actually she! But had she also recognized me again? She
was silent and thoughtful; on my bosom lay a hundred-weight pressure.
I arose from my seat. She threw herself silently weeping on my bosom.
I went.

I now found her often in tears. It grew darker and darker in my soul;
the parents swam only in supreme felicity; the faith-day passed on sad
and sullen as a thunder-cloud. The eve of the day was come. I could
scarcely breathe. I had in precaution filled several chests with gold.
I watched the midnight hour approach--It struck.

I now sat, my eye fixed on the fingers of the clock, counting the
seconds, the minutes, like dagger-strokes. At every noise which
arose, I started up; the day broke. The leaden hours crowded one upon
another. It was noon--evening--night; as the clock fingers sped on,
hope withered; it struck eleven and nothing appeared; the last minutes
of the last hour fell, and nothing appeared. It struck the first
stroke--the last stroke of the twelfth hour, and I sank hopeless
and in boundless tears upon my bed. On the morrow I should--forever
shadowless, solicit the hand of my beloved. Toward morning an anxious
sleep pressed down my eyelids.

CHAPTER V

It was still early morning when voices, which were raised in my
ante-chamber in violent dispute, awoke me. I listened. Bendel forbade
entrance; Rascal swore high and hotly that he would receive no
commands from his equal, and insisted on forcing his way into my room.
The good Bendel warned him that such words, came they to my ear, would
turn him out of his most advantageous service. Rascal threatened to
lay hands on him if he any longer obstructed his entrance.

I had half dressed myself. I flung the door wrathfully open, and
advanced to Rascal--"What