Page:German Stories (Volumes 2–3).djvu/381

Rh off his mask, so that he might repent of his cruelty, and return ere it was too late to the forsaken bride.

“Sooner than I could have anticipated, I was enabled to fulfil this plan. We were seated one evening at table after supper, and the conversation happened to turn on the question, whether injustice and wickedness are always punished in the world. I remarked that I had known, within my own experience, very striking examples of this, so that the old Countess and Libussa begged earnestly that I would make them acquainted with one at least of the instances to which I had alluded ‘If I am to do so,’ said I, ‘you must permit me to choose a story in which the characters and incidents, as I think, concern you very nearly’—‘Concern us? How is that possible?’ said the Countess, while I cast a significant glance at the Duke, who had been for some time mistrustful of my interference, and now looked at me with the pale ghastly visage of one whose own conscience reproaches him. ‘Such, at least, is my opinion,’ I resumed; ‘but ere commencing, I must request the Count’s indulgence if the supernatural should again be interwoven with my nar-