e had seen--it was
true, after all--but it could not be right--just now--to-day, when all
was forgiven and past; and, after all, he hadn't sinned.

In order to regain his composure, he counted out several pieces of
money. That restored his spirits. He was able to count; his senses had
returned. He had resigned the oar and, with his piece of chalk, had
actually been making some calculations on the bench. But he soon rubbed
them out again.

"There's the other shore," said he, looking up and lifting his hat,
"we'll soon be there. I can see the wagon and horses and Uncle Peter
there already. I can see our blue chest."

"Heavens!" cried Walpurga, and the oar remained motionless in her
hands. "Heavens! Who is it? Who is that figure? I can take my oath
that, while we were singing, I thought to myself: If only my good
Countess Irma could see us sitting in the boat together. It would have
made her happy to see that, and just then it seemed to me as if--"

"I'm glad," said Hansei, interrupting her, "that we're getting to shore.
If this lasts much longer, we'll all lose our wits."

On the distant shore, some one was seen running to and fro. The figure
was wrapped in a flowing dress, and suddenly started when the wind
wafted the sound of music across toward her. She sank to the earth and
seemed to be crouching on the bank. Now that the sound had died away,
she arose and fled, disappearing among the bushes.

"Didn't you see anything?" asked Walpurga again.

"Yes, indeed. If I was superstitious, and it wasn't in the day-time,
I'd have thought it was the Lady of the Lake."

The boat reached the bank. Walpurga was the first to leap ashore.
Leaving her people, she ran toward the bushes as fast as she could, and
there, behind the willows, the figure fell on her neck and fainted.

BOOK V.

CHAPTER I.

The summer was almost at an end when the court returned from the baths.

The king's first official act was to sign the proclamation of the
Schnabelsdorf ministry, dissolving the refractory Chamber of Deputies
and ordering a new election.

The king was displeased; and yet, that which now surprised him was the
inevitable consequence of his previous doings. He had returned in high
spirits, but, like an importunate creditor, the state was already
thrusting its claims upon him.

He felt happy that his government met with popular approval; but that,
he t