Withered Leaves. Vol. III.(of III)

disappeared early beneath the glowing cloud

ly allowed to devote himself to the nymphs of the lake. C?cilie looked strictly after him, lest he wished to lay his homage at the feet of the Castle fairies. There were the most charming little town girls present, whom such a Don Juan by profession could wind up like a watch, so that their hearts ticked in a race with the throbs of his. Iduna, the late head sc

d of decay. They certainly still sometimes fought bravely, it was their trade, and it was immaterial to them whether they held a prayer-book or a sword in their hands--they understood their letters very well, and scratched whole alphabets into their enemies' faces. I assume that this Castle has also often been besieged by the Poles--from the Dantziger there

"it is one of the noblest virtues, the fruit of glorious enthusiasm," and she added a few passages,

t know that nutritious food, and when once the troops start, they must listen exactly to the commander's order, march, halt, load, fire! Enthusiasm--it is only to be found amongst warlike poets. In battle people are as excited as in a

id Iduna, "that one might believ

he contrary of that which poetry asserts. Poetry is merely a beautiful falsehood. But, as I said, the brethren of the Order might be brave even at the time of their decay, but they led a merry life; I wager that they drank as bravely in this di

Salomon," said

was time to dress, and Iduna was not sorry to leave the highly educated student, who shed the radiance of enlightened human understanding into

ul in her veil and white satin robe, but was ghastly pale. Beate advised her to have reco

nden told him of his adventures on the Lago Maggiore. At first sight her beauty gave an impression of pride and coldness,

from his duel, he looked noble and grand, the dreaminess in his features possessed a charm of its own, such gen

cilie had already made progress in taming the rebel. As for him, he contemplated himself in the pier-glasses, shrugging his shoulders and saying to Wegen he felt like a bear at a fair, whom the bea

once placed an enchanted souvenir, stood the minister. She thought of the two Italian island churches, of the one in which she had stood before the altar as to-day;

ears--the echo of the chapel seemed to strengthen it--at first it sounded like the crash of scorn, and still louder, more grave, more solemn, th

lake of Orta

ng through the tops of the pines, and stirri

m one summit of life to another, and deep

pictures of the past and present became mixed up, but the

rdent love. The shadows disappeared, she felt the full consciousness of the bliss of the present, and in a voice n

sanction of the family, the blessing of the long row of female ancestors, of that house would at the same time rest upon the brow of her who entered that line: she was received into the sanctuary of the noble women who for centuries had held their sway over this home. Giulia blushed deeply, and with dec

ess and courage with the sparkling froth of the champagne. Then, when her countenance brightened, a slight colour suffused it as she smiled and joked, and gave herself up to a genial actress' mood, which ow

, because when once he has stamped an idea with the immortal impress of his genius, it must not be lost again, and it would be most blameworthy even to make a feeble copy. Salo

y, well, he could not help it; he, too, must let himself be married, but he should only permit two witnesses, selected from the midst of the sovereign people, to be present, who afterwards would disappear in the night of that plebeian universality where all cows are black; his marriage dinner he and C?cilie should eat alone, or at the utmost invite his Caro who, on that day, should receive a specially good dish of meat and bones. Well, he had somehow got into the good-for-nothing frock-coat, and he only wished

the hands of this wicked hector, who seems to look upon his en

ed her lover's hand, but Kuhl

engagement to-day, give it up soon, and a week or so later fall in love and engage yourself again, and you are one of the most moral citizens in the world, and no one will assail your good name. But, if only you feel that affection a week sooner, before the old one is given up, then you are a Don Juan. Everyth

nsely heartless. Olga laughed, but C?cilie had long since co

stened to Kuhl's defiant speech with a smiling cou

where human society rises unanimously, striving to attain its grandest ends. We will grant dual love to Herr Dr. Kuhl. Let every one manage it as best he can. I know, indeed, that the heart, like the ocean, can have but one ebb and flow, and that this tide is only produced by the mysterious attraction of one orb, not merely

oment, Giulia became attentive, and listened

y of families; hence the severe punishment which has always been decreed to that crime. It may appear too severe to those who are free spirits to such an

ring influence of the champagne had lost i

h frontier, had a legal husband there; here, however, she commenced a fresh love affair, and was married again. The matter came to ligh

e glass fell from her hand, and

e, having been talking very animatedly himself to Giulia, but what he

kward; forgive me!" said

table, "that by bigamy people may wish to live in clover, but t

depressed and thoughtful, and did not know why. What could

in good spirits. Evenin

ment of his dependents by going into the great barn at the fa

s noisy tum-tum, beer flowed from the mig

amongst the groups of glad people. She was obliged to open a dance with Olkewicz, and never in his life did the worthy steward experience greater pride than when f

to conceal her shoe and feet from the world. The lad filled the slipper with brandy, and gave one lusty cheer for the lady of the manor, while vowing himself to her service for evermore. The fiddlers struck up a furious tune, with them the two horns in the village band, and the night-watchman's horn, too-tooed joyously. Great was the gladness of the people, and Giulia

as if out of a hiding place, two glarin

mood he hardly remembere

rld brings you

answer for

become d

ench beside it. She pointed to Giulia with outstretched arms, and said, "Mu

the dancers with wild gnome-like bounds, until a little crooked fellow, wh

re her in breathless fury over the threshing floor, so that the fleetest youths were obliged to acknowledge his superiority in the wild dance. The heated fair did not know what happened to them, and marvelled how a townsman,

re," there the name "Giulia." The Chinese pavilion on the island in the lake, and the bridge leading to it shone in the gayest reflection of lights. In the hot-houses a splendid group of southern plants, laurels, and myrtles, under the feathery shelter o

off upon the lake the rockets ascended to the stars, and the bu

was in an excellent humour, and only by degrees one member after another left the happy circle and sought repose. Silence reigned in the old Castle, only the flag upon the tower fluttere

ws, intercepted by the large fir as it bent i

etween the gaps in the walled-passage between the Da

orious Lago, with its enchanted isles and boundary Alps, rocked all into sweet dreams--it was a sober tide which here surged upon the

incess of those days, and it matters not out of what s

e moment. How different Blanden felt; was happiness secured in his own home, under the protection of his old household gods? thither he had transplanted the

ut the inauguration of a whole life. She, on the contrary, rejected every thought of the

tle features with speechless happiness, in his great, widely-opened eyes she read the same passion which animated her, only with fle

reathed uneasily in consequence of the wound which he had received for her sake--it was impossible to complete the thought. She covered her face with her hands. Outside the needles of the fir crackled in the wind, and swept the window. She sank into a light state of semi-somnolence,

prang up and rushed to the window! At the same moment the giant fir outside caught fire. The flames blazed and hissed as they rose, and up

ed to the other side, drawing Giulia after him by her arm with all his might. The first room, also the second, in which Beate had slept on the previous night, were still free, the flames had passed over

e window. In mortal fear he liste

men? Doubtlessly at

--they came nearer--it was

y without, it filled Blanden's bosom with

in noisy confusion through the park.

he ladders?"

lready darted through the clattering mirror door, caught the curta

er chambers, wherein Blanden supported the unconscious Giulia in his arms. With a fearful eff

and cries for help, futile swea

lvation was brought and

rattled to the ground with the rapidity of fire itself, Dr. Kuhl sprang up the ladder, received Giulia into his stro

as already singed, fo

cry of joy

h the guests occupied, and who had hastened down, the ladies

ack. The fiery red of the sky must have aroused the neighbo

f his family to ashes; already the forked tongues of the flames lashed the tower, they boded ill for the din

in wild haste over the roofs, the falling, burning rafters from above might ignite the

con, but still more did love for the noble master speed the help that was hurrying to his home. Some of the engines were stat

that heaven's judgment had fallen upon her sin; that it would proclaim with burning tongues that which she concealed so anxiously, yet although she did not know the cause of t

ained. Still more was Giulia terrified when the image of the Madonna and child fell half shattered from the niche in the main wall; she was the old patron saint of this Castle, did she flee from the sacrilege which had entered? Cautio

e other wing, remain

ed more faintly over the smoking ruins, and the first rays of dawn gleamed in the east, Blanden and his frie

as to how the fire had originated? It had evidently broken out in that extreme wing, which was connected with the front tower by the subterranean passage, whence the secret stairs led upwards, but that was the very spot whither usually no human being penetrated. Who

shameful intentions, too soon already completed the work of his promised revenge. It was Baluzzi, but where had he remained? Was he still tarrying in the vicin

is word, upon the wor

now all directed upon the spot where the fire had broken out; a few bold men

esearches, and yet nothing could b

ry was heard by t

cor

ed on to the very last person, all

half-shattered corpse was carried towards them; the fact of its lying beneath the fallen rubbish of stones had preserve

ll be recognised as the remains of a human being confirmed his supposition. T

ho danced with deformed

r and stared at the r

ver anticipated that! But from he

back as if struck,

nden by way of explanation, "is a

e he had rejected her insane offers of love, had brooded upon revenge against him, and had executed it on his wedding day. The mixture of love and hatred, he knew was not only p

he to himself, "she always brings

y, "where are you, my sweet wif

the horizon above the smoking Castle ruins, the closely thronging crowd, and