Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/129

 Then as I was taking my place at the desk by his side, he leaned towards me to add,

"Cousin, try to write without trembling, in order that I may be able to decipher, without wearing my eyes, thy judicial scribbling."

The place of my great uncle at the table, was every day on the right of the beautiful baroness, and this favor made many jealous. I slid myself in here and there according to occurrences, among the other guests, who were composed frequently of officers of the neighboring garrison, with whom it was necessary to keep pace in drinking and talking. One day chance carried me near Seraphine, from whom I had been kept at a great distance. I had just offered my arm to her lady companion to go into the dining room: and when we turned around to salute each other, I noticed with a tremor that I was quite near the baroness. A sweet look welcomed me to my seat; and whilst the repast lasted, instead of eating, I did nothing but sustain a conversation with her lady companion, in which all that I found to say, tenderly and delicately, was addressed directly to the baroness, from whom I did not remove my eyes. After supper, Seraphine, in doing the honors of the hostess, approached towards me, and asked me graciously, as at first, if I amused myself at the castle. I answered as well as I could, that at first, this wild domain had offered me a pretty painful residence, but that, since the arrival of the baron, this sad aspect had changed very much, and that if I had a wish to express, it would be only that I might be excused from following the chase.

"But," said the baroness, "have I not heard that you were a musician, and that you composed verses? I love the art passionately, and I play pretty well on the harp; but that is a pleasure of which I must deprive myself here, for my husband detests music."

I hastened to reply, that the baroness could easily procure for herself, during the long hunts of her husband, the pleasure of making a little music. It must be impossible that there

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