enchantment.

The poet Byron described this view in three stanzas, which have been
read and admired wherever the English language is spoken, and have made
the name of Drachenfels more familiar to English and American ears than
the name of almost any other castle on the Rhine.

DRACHENFELS.

The castled crag of Drachenfels
Frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine,
Whose breast of waters broadly swells
Between the banks which bear the vine;
And hills all rich with blossomed trees,
And fields which promise corn and wine,
And scattered cities crowning these,
Whose far white walls along them shine,
Have strewed a scene which I should see
With double joy wert _thou_ with me.

And peasant girls with deep blue eyes,
And hands which offer early flowers,
Walk smiling o'er this paradise;
Above, the frequent feudal towers
Through green fields lift their walls of gray;
And many a rock which steeply lowers,
And noble arch in proud decay,
Look o'er this vale of vintage bowers;
But one thing want these banks of Rhine--
Thy gentle hand to clasp in mine!

The river nobly foams and flows,
The charm of this enchanted ground,
And all its thousand turns disclose
Some fresher beauty varying round:
The haughtiest breast its wish might bound
Through life to dwell delighted here;
Nor could on earth a spot be found
To nature and to me so dear,
Could thy dear eyes in following mine
Still sweeten more these banks of Rhine.

In due time, Mr. George and Rollo arrived at Rolandseck, where they were
received very politely by the landlord of the inn, and introduced to a
very pleasant room, the windows of which commanded a fine view both of
Drachenfels and of the river.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VI.

ROLAND'S TOWER.

"And now," said Mr. George, as soon as the porter had put down his trunk
and gone out of the room, "the first thing to be thought of is dinner."

Rollo was also ready for a dinner, especially for such excellent little
dinners of beefsteaks, fried potatoes, nice bread and butter, and
coffee, as his uncle usually ordered. So, after refreshing themselves a
few minutes in their room, Mr. George and Rollo went down stairs in
order to go into the dining room to call for a dinner. As they passed
through the hall, they saw a door there which opened out upon
beautifully ornamen