he
people in the castle."

Tobias sat down after thus delivering himself of his sentiments, and with
both elbows on the table, his eyes expanding with delight, he confided to
us that just now he was a bachelor.

"You don't mean that!"

"Yes, Marie Anne is sitting up with Gertrude in monseigneur's ante-room."

"Then you are in no hurry to go away?"

"No, none at all. I should like to stay in your company."

"How unfortunate that you should have come in so late!" remarked Sperver;
"all the bottles are empty."

The disappointment of the discomfited major-domo excited my compassion.
The poor man would so gladly have enjoyed his widowhood. But in spite of
my endeavours to repress it a long yawn extended wide my mouth.

"Well, another time," said he, rising. "What is only put off is not given
up."

And he took his lantern.

"Good night, gentlemen."

"Stop--wait for me," cried Gideon. "I can see Fritz is sleepy; we will go
down together."

"Very gladly, Sperver; on our way we will have a word with Trumpf, the
butler. He is downstairs with the rest, and Knapwurst is telling them
tales."

"All right. Good night, Fritz."

"Good night, Gideon. Don't forget to send for me if the count is taken
worse."

"I will do as you wish. Lieverle, come."

They went out, and as they were crossing the platform I could hear the
Nideck clock strike eleven. I was tired out and soon fell asleep.

CHAPTER IV.

Daylight was beginning to tinge with bluish grey the only window in my
dungeon tower when I was roused out of my niche in the granite by the
prolonged distant notes of a hunting horn.

There is nothing more sad and melancholy than the wail of this instrument
when the day begins to struggle with the night--when not a sigh nor a
sound besides comes to molest the solitary reign of silence; it is
especially the last long note which spreads in widening waves over the
immensity of the plain beneath, awaking the distant, far-off echoes
amongst the mountains, that has in it a poetic element that stirs up the
depths of the soul.

Leaning upon my elbow in my bear-skin I lay listening to the plaintive
sound, which suggested something of the feudal ages. The contemplation of
my chamber, the ancient den of the Wolf of Nideck, with its low, dark
arch, threatening almost to come down to crush the occupant; and further
on that small leaden window, just touching the ceiling, more wide than
high, and deeply recessed in the wal