"It is indeed a wild region," rejoined Krantz, "and many strange tales
are told of it; but strange as they are, I have good reason for
believing them to be true. I have told you, Philip, that I fully
believe in your communion with the other world--that I credit the
history of your father, and the lawfulness of your mission; for that we
are surrounded, impelled, and worked upon by beings different in their
nature from ourselves, I have had full evidence, as you will
acknowledge, when I state what has occurred in my own family. Why such
malevolent beings as I am about to speak of should be permitted to
interfere with us, and punish, I may say, comparatively unoffending
mortals, is beyond my comprehension; but that they are so permitted is
most certain."

"The great principle of all evil fulfils his work of evil; why, then,
not the other minor spirits of the same class?" inquired Philip. "What
matters it to us, whether we are tried by, and have to suffer from, the
enmity of our fellow-mortals, or whether we are persecuted by beings
more powerful and more malevolent than ourselves? We know that we have
to work out our salvation, and that we shall be judged according to our
strength; if then there be evil spirits who delight to oppress man,
there surely must be, as Amine asserts, good spirits, whose delight is
to do him service. Whether, then, we have to struggle against our
passions only, or whether we have to struggle not only against our
passions, but also the dire influence of unseen enemies we ever struggle
with the same odds in our favour, as the good are stronger than the evil
which we combat. In either case we are on the 'vantage ground, whether,
as in the first, we fight the good cause single-handed, or as in the
second, although opposed, we have the host of Heaven ranged on our side.
Thus are the scales of Divine justice evenly balanced, and man is still
a free agent, as his own virtuous or vicious propensities must ever
decide whether he shall gain or lose the victory."

"Most true," replied Krantz, "and now to my history:--

"My father was not born, or originally a resident, in the Hartz
Mountains; he was the serf of an Hungarian nobleman, of great
possessions, in Transylvania; but, although a serf, he was not by any
means a poor or illiterate man. In fact, he was rich and his
intelligence and respectability were such, that he had been raised by
his lord to the stewardship; but, whoever may happen to be