servant, and welcomed his guest with courteous cordiality.

Some apologies which Edward offered on account of his intrusion, were
silenced in a moment.

"Come, now, Lieutenant," said the Baron, "I must introduce you to my
family. You are not such a stranger to us, as you fancy."

With these words he took Edward by the arm, and, lighted by the
servant, they passed through several lofty rooms, which were very
handsomely furnished, although in an old-fashioned style, with faded
Flemish carpets, large chandeliers, and high-backed chairs: everything
in keeping with what the youth had already seen in the castle. Here
were the ladies of the house. At the other end of the room, by the
side of an immense stove, ornamented with a large shield of the family
arms, richly emblazoned, and crowned by a gigantic Turk, in a most
comfortable attitude of repose sat the lady of the house, an elderly
matron of tolerable circumference, in a gown of dark red satin, with
a black mantle and a snow-white cap. She appeared to be playing cards
with the chaplain, who sat opposite to her at the table, and the Baron
Friedenberg to have made the third hand at ombre, till he was called
away to welcome his guest. On the other side of the room were two
young ladies, an elder person, who might be a governess, and a couple
of children, very much engrossed by a game at lotto.

As Edward entered, the ladies rose to greet him, a chair was placed
for him near the mistress of the house, and very soon a cup of
chocolate and a bottle of tokay were served on a rich silver salver,
to restore the traveler after the cold and discomfort of his drive:
in fact it was easy for him to feel that these "far away" people were
by no means displeased at his arrival. An agreeable conversation
soon began among all parties. His travels, the shooting-match, the
neighborhood, agriculture, all afforded subjects, and in a quarter
of an hour Edward felt as if he had long been domesticated with these
simple but truly well-informed people.

Two hours flew swiftly by, and then a bell sounded for supper; the
servants returned with lights, announced that the supper was on the
table, and lighted the company into the dining-room--the same into
which Edward had first been ushered. Here, in the background, some
other characters appeared on the scene--the agent, a couple of his
subalterns, and the physician. The guests ranged themselves round the
table. Edward's place was between the Baro