osts and
specters told about the Electoral palace awoke to his remembrance. He cast
a disturbed glance around, and, holding his breath, listened with loudly
beating heart to the soft sounds and murmurs vibrating through the hall.
Suddenly he quite distinctly seemed to hear soft, gliding steps
approaching him from the other side of the vestibule. His blood stood
still with horror, he stared into the dusky hall. The little oil lamps
which hung on both sides of the door leading into the Electoral Prince's
apartments shed abroad only a glimmering, uncertain light, and left the
background enveloped in gloom and obscurity.

All at once the soldier started: he thought he saw a white figure emerge
from the darkness. Yes--his eyes saw her, his ears heard her steps!

Yes, it was no illusion! Ever nearer, ever larger loomed the white figure.
It was wholly enveloped in a veil and robe of white, and only two large,
sparkling black eyes looked forth from the veil. The soldier fell upon his
knees, dropped his weapon, and, folding his hands, muttered with
chattering teeth: "The White Lady! God Almighty be gracious to us! The
White Lady!"

He dared not look up; he only murmured in anguish of spirit the prayers by
which spirits were exorcised; but he felt that the dreaded phantom came
ever nearer and nearer--that he could not exorcise the Lady in White! Now
she was close to him, her white garment grazed his bowed head, and the
soldier shuddered and shrank within himself. It was as if he heard a door
creak and turn softly on its hinges, then all was still.

The soldier ventured to lift up his head a little--the hall was empty, the
Lady in White had vanished! But she had been there; he had distinctly seen
her; she had entered the Electoral Prince's apartments; the soldier had
plainly heard that!

Now an inexpressible horror, that was stronger than all discipline and
sense of duty, seized him. He rushed out of the hall, tore open the door
opening upon the broad corridor, on both sides of which lay the apartments
of their Electoral Highnesses. With a loud scream he called out to the
sentinel on guard there: "The White Lady! the White Lady!"

This one, too, shrieked as loudly as if the apparition itself stood before
him--the Lady in White, known and dreaded of all! And both soldiers,
panicstricken, ran down the corridor to tell the news to the other
sentinels, and throw them all into the same state of dread and
consternation.

The Ele