The Count of Nideck

the alcove, the master of Nideck raised upon his elbow and studying me with profoun

aching out his hand. "My good Sperver has often spoken to me

ay be continued under more auspicious circumst

ied; "I feel that the

mistaken,

a last favor, a presentime

uch presentiments dispro

depends the moral strength of the sufferer; if the sick man detect the suspicion of a doubt, all is lost; dissolution begins, the soul prepares to quit the body, a

se behind us. They seated themselves in the two chairs which occupied the embrasure of the window, and

e to that of his daughter, whom he continued

jarring of the casements, the monotone of the wind, and the s

this, the Count sud

would fulfil the desire of my heart, I believe that alone would accomplish my recovery!" I glanced quickly at Odi

of seeing myself surrounded by a new branch of our family, of embracing my grandchil

ferer. The young woman made no reply. After a minute or

not seek to control your choice! We will go to court, and choose from a hundred noble suitors

g interests, deep emotions, and sacred feelings involved, that our innate delicacy demands that we hold aloo

's part, "you will recover. Heaven will not take you from us who love y

ve you to my proposal? Is it not just and natural? Must I be deprived of the

fat

do you r

aken; I have consec

d me. She stood there like the sculptured Mado

il upon the Countess, as best I could by signs, to give him a grain of hope,

see your father perish! A single word would save his li

but of God alone," she murmured; "a

erly, "to ease your conscience in refusing to do your duty

" she replied gently; "but

th. He lay for a few moments, appare

screamed; "your pres

urning

,-a poison that slays with the quickness of a lightning flash? It is

y; he became livid. Odile had r

ED, 'I HAVE NOT

ed; "I have not

ot daring to interfere between the father an

your own health, in the name of reason, c

matters the future? Oh, if I

She, still calm, but with cheeks as pale as his, fell on her knees before the threshold. At this moment, I succeeded in getting the Coun

om with her. Sperver and I watched them as they slowly withdrew. There was a calm g

"Well, Gaston," he said gravely; "what do you think of this?" I bowed my head

"let's get a breath of fresh air! I'm strangli

r own daughter can blight your life,-even cause your death, perhaps, by a nod of her head or a mincing refusal to obey your will? It would be a thousand times better to come into the world the son of a h

ndow-panes, and I could hardly distinguish the peaks of the neighboring mountains. We were descending the staircase which led to the main

; "where are you goi

mer begs the privilege of paying his res

n Zim

who came in last

plied Sperver; "

ached our destination. My companion

ingular scene of a few moments before, when Offenloch appeared, but not alone, for to our astonishment we saw the Baron Zimmer and his valet following at his heels. We rose. The youn

o ask you about the country hereabouts. Mademoiselle the Countess of Nideck assures me

" replied Sperver with a low bow;

m," resumed the Baron, pointing to the eddying flakes outside; "I

tter, monsieur, for all the

but it mus

you like, monsieur, or Sebalt Kraft, the master of the hounds; he k

eciate it most fully, but I cannot accept

ross the room and closed the door with a crash. I remained standing with one hand resting on the back of my chair;

E THE PEAK OF

he Altenberg, and further off, in the same line, just back of that white ridge, the Wald Horn, swept by the tempest. You must go straight towards the Wald Horn. There, if the snow permits, you will see from the top of the mitre-shaped rock that is called the Roche Fendue, three peaks: the Behrenkopf, the Geierstein, and the Triefels. It is by the last one, the furthest to the right,

ks for you

orrent can be forded, but I doubt if there is any such place at this season. Have a special care to keep around the base

tence with great precision, and I glanced occasionally at the Baron, who was listening with singu

ed them for an instant back upon each other like a floating drapery, and during this instant the three peaks behind the Altenber

n my destination, and thanks to you

ng man and his servant, together with Offen

"to set out in such weather! I shouldn't have the heart to turn a wolf outdoors. I believe I have seen the you

middle of the courtyard, I saw, in spite of the snow that filled the air, a curtain slightly raised in th

t are you doing?

y looking at the s

aw them in the stable this mor

full speed. The curtain i