d scraped my fiddle merrily, so that the
quiet valleys reechoed. The old woman with the bunch of keys, who had
been searching anxiously for me all through the castle to call me to
breakfast, appeared upon the terrace above me, and was surprised that
I could play the fiddle so well. The grim old man from the castle came
too, and was as much amazed, and at last the maids came, and they all
stood up there together agape, while I fingered away, and wielded my
bow in the most artistic manner, playing cadenzas and variations until
I was downright tired.

The castle was a mighty strange place! No one dreamed of journeying
further. It was no inn or post-station, as I learned from one of the
maids, but belonged to a wealthy count. When I sometimes questioned
the old woman as to the count's name and where he lived, she only
smirked as she had done on the evening of my arrival, and slyly
pinched me and winked at me archly as if she were out of her senses.
If on a warm day I drank a whole bottle of wine, the maids were sure
to giggle when they brought me another; and once when I wanted to
smoke a pipe, and informed them by signs of my desire, they all burst
into a fit of foolish laughter. But most mysterious of all was a
serenade which often, and always upon the darkest nights, sounded
beneath my window. A guitar was played fitfully, soft, low chords
being heard from time to time. Once I imagined I heard some one down
below call up, "Pst! pst!" I sprang out of bed and, putting my head
out of the window, called, "Holla! who's there?" But no answer came; I
only heard the rustling of the shrubbery, as if some one were hastily
running away. The large dog in the court-yard, roused by my shout,
barked a couple of times, and then all was still again. After this the
serenade was heard no more.

Otherwise my life here was all that mortal could desire. The worthy
Porter knew well what he was talking about when he was wont to declare
that in Italy raisins dropped into one's mouth of themselves. I lived
in the lonely castle like an enchanted prince. Wherever I went the
servants treated me with the greatest respect, though they all knew
that I had not a farthing in my pocket. I had but to say, "Table,
be spread," and lo, I was served with delicious viands, rice, wine,
melons, and Parmesan cheese. I lived on the best, slept in the
magnificent canopied bed, walked in the garden, played my fiddle, and
sometimes helped with the gardening. I often