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170 ment—you have yet much to learn for the first time in the world.” And, with these words, he looked at the young man so steadfastly, that the latter said—“Are you inclined, perhaps, to cast my nativity?”—“Only not at present, Mons. le Chevalier,” interposed the Countess, “for who knows whether your horoscope might lead to any diverting adventures, such as the Marquis, some days ago, promised us?”—“Diverting, did I say?” said the latter. Surely“Surely [sic], in that respect, you are mistaken.”—“At least you promised us some very extraordinary incidents, and such are absolutely requisite, in order to rouse our party from the lethargy in which we have been lost for several hours.”—“I shall not refuse,” replied the Marquis; “yet I should like to know, in the first place, if any one here has yet heard the story of the Spectre Bride?” Of course, all answered in the negative, and expressed the utmost impatience for its commencement.

“I had already made many appointments,” said the Marquis, “to visit my friend the Count Globoda, at his castle in the country. On our travels we had met together in almost every district in Europe; in youth, and in middle age, we