tily
welcome; and the longer you stay with us, the better shall we be
pleased."

The youth bowed, and raised the lady's hand to his lips, and said,

"If you will allow me--if you feel certain that I am not intruding--I
will accept, your kind offer with joy. I never care much for a ball, at
any time, and to-day in particular--" he stopped short, and then added,
"In such bad weather as this, the small amusement--"

"Would be dearly bought," interposed the baron. "Come, I am delighted
you will remain with us."

He shook Edward warmly by the hand.

"You know you are with old friends."

"And, besides," said the doctor, with disinterested solicitude, "it
would be imprudent, for M. de Wensleben does not look very well. Had you
a good night, sir?"

"Very good," replied Edward.

"Without much dreaming?" continued the other, pertinaciously

"Dreaming! oh, nothing wonderful," answered the officer.

"Hem!" said the doctor, shaking his head, portentously. "No one yet--"

"Were I to relate my dream," replied Edward, "you would understand it no
more than I did. Confused images--"

The baroness, who saw the youth's unwillingness to enlarge upon the
subject, here observed,

"That some of the visions had been of no great importance--those which
she had heard related, at least."

The chaplain led the conversation from dreams themselves, to their
origin, on which subject he and the doctor could not agree; and Edward
and his visions were left in peace at last. But when every one had
departed, each to his daily occupation, Edward followed the baron into
his library.

"I answered in that manner," he said, "to get rid of the doctor and his
questioning. To you I will confess the truth. Your room has exercised
its mysterious influence over me."

"Indeed!" said the baron, eagerly.

"I have seen and spoken with my Ferdinand, for the first time since his
death. I will trust to your kindness--your sympathy--not to require of
me a description of this exciting vision. But I have a question to put
to you."

"Which I will answer in all candor, if it be possible."

"Do you know the name of Emily Varnier?"

"Varnier!--certainly not."

"Is there no one in this neighborhood who bears that name?"

"No one; it sounds like a foreign name."

"In the bed in which I slept I found this ring," said Edward, while he
produced it; and the apparition of my friend pronounced that name.

"Wonderful! As I tell you, I know no one so called--