The Mysterious Sketch

pid steps, I was still able to convince myself that t

afar with our steps, and the outside air blowing with sharp gusts through the loopholes-narrow slits made for the archers of former days-caused o

d now to the right and now to the left, and I followed him brea

e with the people of the castle to inform

hat you th

iment of Nideck. He campaigned in France under the count; and you will see his w

should

e in the Grande Armée. She brought in Tobias Offenloch upon her cart, with on

ut open, for I a

going to let me off without edifying me upon the history of the people with whom my lo

llow, but he has not his equal at sounding the horn; and there will be Karl Trumpf,

d in some surprise on the threshold of a high, dar

d bottles; on the left a Gothic chimney overhung with its heavy massive mantelpiece, empurpled by the brilliant roaring fire underneath, and ornamented on both front and sides with wood-car

; but the human portion of t

ripe raspberry; on his head he wore a huge hemp-coloured wig, bulging out over his fat poll; a coat of light green plush, with steel buttons as large as a five-franc piece; velvet breeches, silk stockings, and shoes garnished with silv

with two servants who were gravely seated on straight-backed arm-chairs. Certain small split pegs were seated astride across the nose of the old woman and tha

cards?" he

wered the

u, Chri

wo

-here's one, here's another. Another peg, mother! This w

u don't treat the fair

you respec

e I have no

ke yours there's al

oment Spe

, here

on, back

with a jerk of her head. The big butler dra

eigneur

red with a doubt

just th

Marie Lagoutte, who nev

notice

roudly. "Now we shall see a change, Master Tobie. Now that Fritz has come the abominable fi

nd her scrutiny seemed satisfactory, fo

ve about a little, do! There you stand with your mout

up as if moved by a spring

it me

ry kind, my

e weather! Ah, monsieur, wha

said Sperver, shaking the snow off his cap; "w

n the other, and his face spotted with innume

e I

man the bedroom at the end of the long ga

rver, in

go, the doctor's knapsack. Knapwur

ind. That is

en. I will dep

er taking off his cape, left us to go an

red with the attentio

You are roasted enough by this time. Sit near the fire, monsieur le doct

g out her sn

u take

adam, with

d, filling both nostrils. "It

box back into her apro

had his second attack yesterday; it was an a

answered the hea

a man takes no nourishment. Fancy, monsieur,

major-domo, crossing his hands ov

d my surprise, on which Tobias Offenloc

e; order him a bottle

a wing of a chicken at every meal.

dame Offenloch's to suppose that the French drank it all. And you had better order, while you are

voice-"time was when monseigneur hunted twice a week; then

. "The open air gives you an appetite. The doctor had better o

same gravity; "quite enough. The hounds must have thei

ar the wind beating against the window-panes, and rush, s

Marie Lagoutte, after having refreshed herself with a fresh pinch, was settling her snuff into shape in its box,

ent the maj

e, doctor?" said he, leaning

never drink before

even one li

est glass you

de and looked with as

drink with my meat, and to take a glass of cognac afterwards. That is wha

er dissertation when Sperver opened the d

nd as I was entering the passage I cou

an. He would have made

but said nothing. I was

m my memory the queer figures of Tobias and Marie Lagoutte, poor harml

A bronze lamp stood in a corner, its brightness toned down by a globe of ground crystal; thick carpets,

to discover something in the darkened distance; he was trying to make out whether the witch still lay there crouc

lack silk dress, her gentle expression of calm self-devotion and complete resignation, the ideal angel-like cast of her sweet features, recalled to one's mind those mysterious creations of the p

ingled with my sentiments. A sense of music and harmony swept sadly through by soul, with faint impressions of the old ballads

proach O

hing kindness and simplicity; then, pointing with her finger to

answering, for I felt deeply affe

his far cap in the other. Odile stood at my left hand. The light, softened by the

of Nideck, and in spite of all the admiration which his lovely daughter

g over the eyebrows, which were shaggy and met, pointing downwards over the bridge of the nose, imperfectly shading with their sable outline the cold and inexpressive eyes; the short, rough beard, irregularly spread

s hand. It was dry and wiry, yet small and strong; I found

was I

in my face; on the other Sperver, equally anxious and watching my every movement. A painful constr

man's heart, after which followed a succession of quick, short respirations. A kind of nightmare w

d full of pai

e, sir?" asked th

ts close," I answered; "we must see

y possibilit

aring to venture any positive assertions, when the di

s," said

a moment

a minute shaded with anxiety. "How can one be hospita

ce, with golden hair, appeared in

servant, and he asks for shelter in the Nid

ron de Zimmer. Inform him that the count is very ill, and that this alone prevents him from doing the ho

air of distinction seems hereditary in some families it is surely because the exercise of the duties c

Odile of Nideck, and that clearness and purity of outline which is only found marked in the features

said the young count

ood a few seconds under the infl

a sad smile, "one may not indulge in grief without a pause; we must

ntage of the unhappy-the lost wayfarer, the sick, the hungry poor-each has his claim for a

d the blue eyes for a moment,

ly she

d but restore my

you, madam, the crisis is past; the re

hope tha

t is not impossible; I wil

vants were waiting for the orders of their mistress. We had just entered the corridor when Gideon

pended upon for keeping a s

o cause of apprehen

old the countess-but

morr

nnot prevent the return of the complaint

ble, but har

g from the ground with joy; "if you don't

n his hand. They were on their way to their chambers, and those two figures, with their cloaks flung over their shoulders, their loose Hungarian boots up to the knees, the body closely

much mistaken, those are our Fribourg friends;

ise the younger by his tall, slender figure, his

red through a

of corridors, aisles, narrow and wide passages, under high vaulted roo

e portrait-gallery, and this is the chapel, where no mass

ars had very littl

pily came to the end of our journey before a low massive door. Sperv

e light-

to the narrow passage. The torch flared and sent out a volley of sparks in a

ar, "you are surely not afraid, Fritz? Come on; don't be frighten

dvanced to set

ngry winds. Any one who had seen our flaring torch from below would have asked, "What

I drew closer together the folds of my horseman's cloak, and with my hand upon my hat, I set off after Spe

er. A bright fire saluted us here with its cheerful rays;

osed the door, and contemplati

! we shall

her consider what is before you-a leg of a kid, a couple of roast fowls, a pike fresh caught, with parsley s

nes were warm, for in front of the fire stood a row of

te rose in me wonderfully. But Sperver, who

s on horseback it is pleasant to take off one's boots, that's my principle. Now sit down, put your boot between my knees; there goes one off, now the

each side of the table, remembering the German proverb-"Thirst