Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/218

 the evening, added their earnest solicitations to his. Soon after breakfast was over the ladies took their departure, and his Lordship attended them on horseback to the boundaries of his domain, where mama and daughters, deeply sensible of the generous reception they had experienced, took a most kind leave of him, and promised to make some stay with him on their return from Carlsbad.

No sooner had the Gnome returned to his castle than Curly Head, who had passed the night in a damp cellar in a most fearful state of anxiety, was brought before him. “Miserable reptile,” said the Spirit, “I know not what keeps me from crushing thee under foot, for having dared to enact a farce so offensive to me in my territories.”—“High and mighty Sovereign of the Giant Mountains,” replied the crafty knave, “I question not your rights of sovereignty; but before you pronounce my doom, deign to inform me where those laws are written, with the violation of which you charge me.” The boldness of this turn led Rubezahl to suspect that he had no common man, but rather a singular original, to deal with. He therefore moderated his anger, and said: “Nature has legibly written my laws in the heart of man; but that thou mayest not accuse me of condemning thee unheard, speak: say frankly who thou art, and what could have tempted thee to play thy tricks in such a guise in my dominions?”