furniture; and the beautiful
hangings of green damask with a large raised pattern on it. And there
was her plain servant's-bed under the silk curtains, and her trunk with
her bits of clothes. I began to think how it would be if we had a young
mistress living there; and while I was pondering, and looking at the
picture of Count Henry over the sofa, painted when he was going to be
married, (I will shew it you to-morrow, Sir), and seeing some dust upon
the consoles, I took the corner of my apron and was going to wipe them,
when I heard a noise like mice behind the hangings, and stood still to
hear where it was coming from. Well, there is a great mirror in a broad
old-fashioned frame, reaching down to the ground, (the fellow of it is
up-stairs in Count Henry's room); behind this I heard a rustling and a
creaking, and I was looking about to find the hole, when all of a
sudden the floor begins to slide, as it were; I see my face in the
glass going round, as if I were giddy, the wall opens in the gaping
frame, and who should step out of it but my own Count Ernest!

"If I was dreadfully startled, he was no less astonished. 'Why Flor!'
he cried, 'Good evening to you! Are you surprised? Here I come upon you
like a thief in the night, in an odd way enough. I had no conception of
such a thing--I wanted to speak to my father, and not finding him in
his room, I waited for him. I was determined to tell him all, and not
to pass another night in a state of such uncertainty. To her I had
spoken--her brother wants to take her away, and I asked her whether she
would find it so easy to go away and leave us, and if she thought she
could be induced to stay for my sake? Upon which she burst into tears
and ran away. But I rather hope you were right, Flor, and that there
really may be nothing to part us but the coat-of-arms above the
gateway. As for that, we might do without it, and quietly settle in a
happier home. Just as I was thinking over what I would say to my
father, my eye fell by chance on a part of the mirror where the frame
appeared to have been damaged. I put my finger upon it mechanically,
and was poking at it, when all at once the glass gave way, and then I
saw a great gap staring me in the face. I had scarcely stepped through
to see what was beyond it, when it closed upon me again and left me in
the dark; and finding neither spring nor handle to open it again, there
was nothing for it but to grope my way straight on, along a small