The "come in" of the host and hostess was in answer to a loud, hurried
rap at the door, by which there immediately entered two travellers.
One, by his military dress, seemed a soldier, and the other appeared to
be his servant. This was the case. General Wallenstein was on his way
from Carlsruhe, to his home in Basle. He had been delayed several
hours by an accident to his post-carriage and by the storm, and now
found himself obliged to stop for the night at this lonely and
comfortless little inn.

When the officer threw aside his plumed hat and military cloak of rich
fur, and strode up to the fire, with his epaulettes flashing in the
light, and his sword knocking against his heels, cling, clang, the
gruff host was greatly impressed with his importance, and willingly
went out to assist the postilion in the care of the horses. As for the
old hostess, she bustled about with wonderful activity to prepare
supper for the great man.

"Ho, Carl!" she cried, "thou young Rhine-sprite, thou water-imp, run to
the wood for another bundle of fagots! Away, haste thee, or I 'll give
thee back to thy elfin kinsfolk, who are ever howling for thee!"

At these strange, sharp words, a wild-looking little boy started up
from a dusky corner of the room, where he had been lying with his head
pillowed on a great tawny Swiss dog, and darted out of the door. He
was coarsely dressed and bare-footed; yet there was something uncommon
about him,--something grand, yet familiar in his look, which struck the
traveller strangely.

"Is that your child?" he asked.

"No indeed," said the old dame; "I am a poor woman, and have seen
trouble in my time, but, blessed be the saints! I 'm not the mother of
water-imps."

"Why do you call the boy a water-imp?"

"I call him so, your excellency," said the woman, sinking her shrill
voice into an awe-struck tone, "because he came from the water, and
belongs to the water. He floated down the Rhine in the great flood,
four years ago come spring, a mere baby, that could barely tell his
name, perched on the roof of a little chalet, in the night, amid
thunder, lightning, and rain! Now, it is plain that no human child
could have lived through that. My good man spied him in the morning
early, and took him off in his boat. I took him in for pity; but I
have always been afraid of him, and every flood-time I think the Rhine
is coming for his own again."

The traveller seemed deeply interested, and well he