The Nameless Castle

other ornamentation save the string of genuine pearls about her throat. The sombre hue of her gown signified mourning; the gems represented tea

d the baroness, mindful of the "the

ering his spouse, sought

in this region 'thou' is used only by children and the gypsies. To those with whom we are on terms of intimacy

ver say 'thou'

o I say 'sh

hen, Bernat bácsi, if it pleases

as not appreciated by her right-hand neighbor, Herr Mercatoris. The learned gentleman had bad teeth, i

wed themselves all the more willing to s

ranged without me, was it not, Bernat bácsi?

ntess. He was willing, and all that was yet necessary was the consent of a count

st I give m

to the Nameless Castle shall c

?-What does that mean? I sho

ing. Three years ago, a gentleman from a foreign country came to Fert?szeg, and took such a fancy to the isolated house that he leased it from the baron, the former owner, on condition that

se to do the latter?"

to give a handsome bonus to the les

n the sort of person m

say the least-one who avoids al

is his

nows it. That is why his residence h

he name of a man who has lived

anywhere, never receives visitors, and his se

eceives lett

contain money, and for which he is obliged to give a receipt; but no one has yet been able t

horities had a right to

autho

,' Berna

t business i

angers are, and where they come from. And

e' take me to

a right to demand t

the county-house than demand a passport from any one who comes to Hunga

t care what pe

e does as he pleases, an

ameless Castle were plott

oreover, nothing whatever can be said against the tenant of t

ne? Has he

is better able to tell

he manor, turning toward the justice, "what do you

our ladyship; but I really canno

w is it possible not to know whether the man

at ten o'clock. They drive as far as the neighboring village, where they turn and come back to

; and one might easily learn from a servant what

ants, Schmidt and his wife; but they live in a cottage near the castle. Every morning at five o'clock they go to the castle gate, where they receive from some one, through the wicket, orders for

of a man is

use he never even looks at the girls in the village. He will not answer any questions; only once he condes

one vis

nough to ask for her. But that they are Christians, one may know from their kitchen: there is always a lamb for dinner on East

so much mystery, I wonder?" m

the data; for the deductions I must r

. "The doctor, to be sure! If you are the county clock, Herr Doctor,

eclaration, the nameless count is the chief of a band of robbers, who ply their nefarious trade in a foreign land. The lady is his mistress. She f

Doctor!" interrupted the baroness. "We cannot a

stranger-no one knew who he was-abducted the wife of a French officer from Dieppe. Since then the betrayed husband has

pe pursuit, the lady has chosen the very worst means to remain undiscovered. Who would recognize them here if they went about in t

s had got the better of his bad teeth, a

ter, the details of which no one knows better than myself, as I have for

t of comm

nounce himself as such-the count sends me every morning his copy of the Augsburg 'Allgemeine Zeitung.' Moreover, I frequently receive letters from him through Frau Schmidt; but I always have to re

ers?" hastily inte

e names of them,

u write about?"

o they would cease to rob the birds' nests; and some for the watchman, whom he requested to shout his loudest at the other end of the village. When I had attended to his requests, he began to send me his newspaper, which is a great favor, for I can ill afford to subscribe for one myself. Later, he loaned me some books; he has the classics of all nations-the works of Wieland, Kleist, B?rne, Lessing, Locke, Schleiermacher. Then we began to write about the books, and became entangled in a most exciting argument. Frau Schmidt, who was the bearer of this exchange of opinions, very often passed to and fro between the c

ith interest to the reverend gen

oor neighbors' needs, when neither he nor his se

nything is needed, the means to help are sent to me. On Christmas he has all the children from the village up at the castle, where he has a splendid Christmas tree with lighted tapers, and a gift for every child,-clothes, books, and sweets,-which he distrib

till in prison," assented

er children, until at last he fled to the marshes, where he ate the young shoots of the reeds, and slept in the mire. The nameless count discovered wit

s were running down t

d brokenly. "Your story has af

midt for the poor little boy. "And tell Frau Schmidt," she added, "to send the child to the manor. We will see t

y proclaim him as s

in the mystery of

ladyship; she is never ment

ner, detained at th

a hundred opportunities to

lief that the reason the lady wore a veil w

ot yet been heard said, at

ost beautiful creatures I

turned towar

he say such a thing?" d

I have

u see her? Where did you see he

ack was empty. I was picking hazelnuts from the bushes in the park of the Nameless Castle, when I heard a win

ness. "Tell us what is sh

o leave his place, whereupon the baro

e, her brow pure and high, with no sign of the branding-iron. Her mouth is small and delicat

arried woman?" inquir

distinguished from her married sister.

en, I should say," was the reply.

nd this enchanting fairy opened the wi

were luckier than I-for four cats that were playing in the gutter of the roof; a white one, a blac

ns-that much we know from the s

clerk had won made the

person should speak only when spoken to; indeed,-as the learned Profess

n an a?ronaut who had just alighted from a montgolfier-to relate all that he had seen in those regions not yet penetrated by man.

last put an end to

ke him?-when he saw her only for an instant! Just wait; I

lish that?" queried the baroness,

to the Namel

are not permi

rmitted to enter? Wait; I will expl

veranda where, on several small tables, the fragrant mocha was steaming in the cups. Here the baroness and the vice-palatine seated themselves where they could look di

gentlemen betook themselves to the smoking-room, to indulge in a little game