Page:Specimens of German Romance (Volume 2).djvu/49

 seized with despair, and exclaiming wildly, "Let it be as it will, I cannot do otherwise—" he lifted up the lifeless little thing, took her in his arms, and rang violently at the bell. No sooner was the door opened than he rushed by the servant, and instead of waiting, according to his usual custom, till he got to the top of the stairs, and then tapping gently, he shouted out, "Alina! Alina! light!" and, indeed, so loudly, that the whole floor re-echoed it.

"How! what! what's this? what does this mean?" exclaimed the old woman, opening her eyes widely as Peregrine unfolded the maiden from his cloak, and laid her with great care upon the sofa.

"Quick, Alina, quick! Fire in the grate!—salts!—punch!—beds here!"

Alina, however, did not stir from the place, but remained, staring at the stranger, with her "How!—what!—what's this?—what does this mean?"

Hereupon Peregrine began to tell of a countess, perhaps a princess, whom he had met at the bookbinder's, who had fainted in