Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/240

 who, in the confusion, galloped off with his mistress to the cave in the forest.

The unfortunate lady had no sooner entered this retreat, than a sense of her terrible calamity fell lead-like on her heart, and she sank on the ground in a state of total insensibility. Seeing her in this condition, the esquire, calling to mind his master’s last request, was about to draw his sword and pierce the forlorn one’s heart, but as he hesitated ere he inflicted the fatal blow, her rare beauty excited at once his pity and his love, and he, not she, was wounded. While duty and passion were struggling within him, the unhappy lady recovered her senses; then, as the consciousness of her sad bereavement came fully upon her, she burst into an agony of tears, wrung her hands, and sobbed as though her very heart was about to break. Untouched by her holy grief, the esquire thus addressed her: “Noble lady, if you knew the fate your husband designed for you, you would not so regret his death. He ordered me to poinard you in this cavern, but your beauty has disarmed me. If you will listen to me, I have that to propose which will at once benefit us both. Forget that you have been my mistress; misfortune has now made us equals; come with me to Bamburg, my native town, where I will marry you; all kindness, respect, and love shall be yours, and your child I will bring up as my