m within the castle and said, "God be
praised, my dear master, that you are come; for surely nothing good is
going on above. But take heed to yourself also, and be not deluded. Your
father has a guest with him,--and, as I think--a hateful one."

Sintram shuddered as he threw open the doors. A little man in the dress
of a miner was sitting with his back towards him. The armour had been
for some time past again ranged round the stone table, so that only two
places were left empty. The seat opposite the door had been taken by
Biorn of the Fiery Eyes; and the dazzling light of the torches fell upon
his features with so red a flare, that he perfectly enacted that fearful
surname.

"Father, whom have you here with you?" cried Sintram; and his suspicions
rose to certainty as the miner turned round, and the detestable face of
the little Master grinned from under his dark hood.

"Yes, just see, my fair son," said the wild Biorn; "thou hast not been
here for a long while,--and so to-night this jolly comrade has paid me
a visit, and thy place has been taken. But throw one of the suits of
armour out of the way, and put a seat for thyself instead of it,--and
come and drink with us, and be merry."

"Yes, do so, Sir Sintram," said the little Master, with a laugh.
"Nothing worse could come of it than that the broken pieces of armour
might clatter somewhat strangely together, or at most that the disturbed
spirit of him to whom the suit belonged might look over your shoulder;
but he would not drink up any of our wine--ghosts have nothing to do
with that. So now fall to!"

Biorn joined in the laughter of the hideous stranger with wild mirth;
and while Sintram was mustering up his whole strength not to lose his
senses at so terrible words, and was fixing a calm, steady look on the
little Master's face, the old man cried out, "Why dost thou look at him
so? Does it seem as though thou sawest thyself in a mirror? Now that you
are together, I do not see it so much; but a while ago I thought that
you were like enough to each other to be mistaken."

"God forbid!" said Sintram, walking up close to the fearful apparition:
"I command thee, detestable stranger, to depart from this castle, in
right of my authority as my father's heir,--as a consecrated knight and
as a spirit!"

Biorn seemed as if he wished to oppose himself to this command with all
his savage might. The little Master muttered to himself, "Thou art not
by any means the master