d."

Tausdorf hesitated at this unexpected proposal, and was about to
decline it courteously, when Althea pressed his hand under the table,
and in low brief words requested him to accede for her sake; upon which
he took up the crystal goblet, and Francis did the same to pledge him;
but in the moment that the glasses touched, both rang hollowly, and
burst with a sharp jarring sound, which echoed lamentably through the
wide hall, while the noble wine poured down in streams upon the floor,
to the indignation of the avaricious Christopher, who called out, "You
are, and always will be, Frank the clumsy, and do nothing like rational
people; all with noise and fury. You have broken now my beautiful
crystal cups with your rough pledging."

"Yes, every thing is to be laid to me," growled Francis: "I pledged my
goblet as neatly as possible; it was not till afterwards that both
broke, and how that chanced, the devil only knows."

"It is not your brother's fault," said Tausdorf, drying the wine from
his doublet. "I do not myself understand how it happened."

"We have examples," observed Schindel thoughtfully, "that empty glasses
have broken upon people calling out loudly in the same key to which
they were tuned; but these goblets were full, and all was still in the
room. God grant that this accident may not prognosticate the rupture of
your new-formed friendship as early as the glasses!"

"No fear of rupture," cried Francis, shaking Tausdorf's hand cordially.
"We must both agree to that first, but our hearts have been amalgamated
and hardened together in the same war-fire, and will hold together for
life and death."

"Gentlemen," said the butler, entering with a respectful bow, "there
are some well-dressed personages--masks,--standing without, before the
door, who would ask of the honourable company through me whether they
may come in to amuse you with song and dance, and other allowable
pleasantries."

"They are welcome," cried the restless Francis, starting up. "This
tedious sitting at table has long been abominable to me."

He ran to the door and opened it. Three gipsies danced in, playing with
pipe, triangle, and tambourine: these were followed by three females in
black clothes, slashed with red, and wearing black masks.

"Trim wenches, brother," said Francis, with eager look, to Tausdorf,
upon whose chair he was leaning. "So slim, and at the same time so
full! By heavens! it makes one wish to become a gipsy for the p