t in the hyacinthine locks of Count Funnibos, whose
countenance of a cadaverous hue now came in sight.

"Ho, ho!" cried the steward. "Who are you, may I ask?"

The Count was too much exhausted and alarmed to make any answer, and
even when the steward set him on his legs, he had to lean against the
ivied wall to support himself.

"You are the person, I have a notion, who has been giving us all this
trouble," said the steward, looking the Count in the face. "If so, come
along with me, and my master, Mynheer Bunckum, will know what to say to
you."

"I had no intention of giving you or any one else any trouble," answered
the Count, when he at last found words to express himself. "I am much
obliged to you for pulling me out of that dreadful hole, and shall be
still further obliged if you will brush my clothes, and then conduct me
through these grounds so that I may return to my hotel, which I am
anxious to reach this evening."

The steward on hearing this, instead of acceding to the Count's request,
burst into a loud fit of laughter.

"Ho, ho, ho! Very likely indeed," he answered. "You must come along
with me into the presence of Mynheer Bunckum, and he will settle how to
dispose of you."

"But I have no wish to see Mynheer Bunckum," said the Count; "indeed, I
have a decided objection to do so. He has allowed the most unjust
suspicions to take possession of his mind."

"I care not a pin for your objections," said the steward. "Come along
with me, I can waste no further time: come along, I say;" and the
steward laying hold of the Count by one arm, and the collar of his coat
with the other hand, walked him along the path towards the castle in the
fashion policemen are wont to treat offenders in the streets of London.
The Count was too weak from hunger, alarm, and fatigue to offer any
resistance, and allowed himself to be conducted in the direction the
steward chose to go. They soon reached the castle; the steward, on
inquiring for Mynheer Bunckum, was informed that he had gone out with
the fair daughters of Mynheer Van Arent.

"Then there is but one thing to be done," observed the steward. "We
must lock up this stranger in the dungeon till our master returns.
Where are the keys?" They were quickly brought to him, and aided by the
domestics of the establishment, he led the Count down a flight of stone
steps to the dungeon.

"My friend," said the Count, who was beginning to recover, "this is very
extraordi