he shore without difficulty.

With the natural prompting of a man towards those who had just overcome
a great peril, I hastened to say how glad I felt at their safety,
and from what intense fear their landing had rescued me; when one,
a corporal, as his cuff bespoke, muttered a coarse exclamation of
impatience, and something like a malediction on the service that exposed
men to such hazards, and at the same instant the other dashed boldly up
the bank, and with a bound placed his horse at my side, as though to cut
off my retreat.

"Who are you?" cried the corporal to me, in a stern voice.

"A traveller," said I, trying to look majestic and indignant.

"So I see; and of what nation?"

"Of that nation which no man insults with impunity."

"Russia?"

"No; certainly not,--England."

"Whence from last?"

"From Bregenz."

"And from Constance by Lindau?" asked he quickly, as he read from a slip
of paper he had Just drawn from his belt.

I assented, but not without certain misgivings, as I saw so much was
known as to my movements.

"Now for your passport. Let me see it," said the corporal again.
"Just so," said he, folding it up. "Travelling on foot, and marked
'suspected.'"

Though he muttered these words to his companion, I perceived that he
cared very little for my having overheard them.

"Suspected of what, or by whom?" asked I, angrily.

Instead of paying any attention to my question, the two men now
conversed together in a low tone and confidentially.

"Come," said I, with an assumed boldness, "if you have quite done with
that passport of mine, give it to me, and let me pursue my journey."

So eager were they in their own converse, that this speech, too, was
unheeded; and now, grown rasher by impunity and impatience, I stepped
stoutly forward, and attempted to take the passport from the soldier's
hand.

"Sturm und Gewitter!" swore out the fellow, while he struck me sharply
on the wrist, "do you mean to try force with us?" And the other drew his
sabre, and, flourishing it over his head, held the point of it within a
few inches of my chest.

I cannot imagine whence came the courage that now filled my heart, for
I know I am not naturally brave, but I felt for an instant that I could
have stormed a breach; and, with an insulting laugh, I said, "Oh, of
course, cut me down. I am unarmed and defenceless. It is an admirable
opportunity for the display of Austrian chivalry."

"Bey'm Henker! It's very hard