ome back to me, I will live no longer, but either die of hunger on this
rock, or cast myself headlong into the waves, and end my miserable life
in the depths of the sea."

I know not how long he sat thus on the rock in his distress, but at last
he felt a soft warm hand laid upon his forehead. When he looked up, he
saw the maiden before him, and she said tenderly, "I have seen your
bitter suffering and heard your longing sighs, and could not withdraw
myself longer, though the time does not expire till to-morrow night."

"Forgive me, forgive me, dear maiden," stammered Sleepy Tony. "Forgive
me; I was a mad fool not to accept the proffered happiness. The devil
only knows what folly came into my head two nights ago. Carry me whither
you please. I will oppose you no longer, and would joyfully give up my
very life for your sake."

The mermaid answered smiling, "I do not desire your death, but I will
take you living as my dear companion." She took the youth by the hand,
led him a few paces nearer to the sea, and bound a silk handkerchief
over his eyes. Immediately Sleepy Tony felt himself embraced by two
strong arms, which raised him up as if in flight, and then plunged
headlong into the sea. The moment the cold water touched his body, he
lost all consciousness, and knew nothing more of what was happening
around him; nor was he afterwards able to tell how long this
insensibility lasted.

When he awoke, he was to experience something stranger still.

He found himself lying on soft cushions in a silken bed, which stood in
a beautiful chamber, with walls of glass covered on the inside with
curtains of red satin, lest the glaring light should wake the sleeper.
Some time passed before he could make out whether he was still alive, or
whether he was in some unknown region of the dead. He rocked his limbs
to and fro, took the end of his nose between his fingers, and behold, he
was quite unchanged. He was dressed in a white shirt, and handsome
clothes lay in a chair in front of his bed. After lying in bed for some
time, and feeling himself all over to make sure that he was really
alive, he got up and dressed himself.

Presently he coughed, when two maids entered, who greeted him as "his
lordship," and wished to know what he would like for breakfast. One laid
the table, and the other went to prepare the food. In a short time the
table was loaded with dishes of pork, sausage, black puddings, and
honey, with jugs of beer and mead, j