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Rh had been cordial friends; and now, when years began to steal on us, we both wished to meet once more, and talk over our past adventures. Besides, I had an additional motive for visiting my friend’s house, as I have been always an admirer of fine scenery, and he described his estate to me as one of the most romantic in the world. The castle, too, was wonderfully ancient, yet had been so well built and preserved, that it was still habitable, and kept up in all its ancient magnificence. The Count used to live here with his family almost the whole year, spending only a short winter in the capital. I knew this; and being certain of finding him at home, I came quite unexpectedly one night, just about this season, and was delighted to behold, by moonlight, the fine varied country, and flourishing woods, by which the noble rocky old fortress was environed.

“The kindness with which I was received, did not prevent me from remarking an expression of reserved grief and anxiety which lay on the countenances of the Count and his lady, from a share of which, too, their beautiful daughter Libussa had not escaped. I understood, after some time, that they had never been able to forget the twin