Page:Specimens of German Romance (Volume 3).djvu/43

 summons, till on a sudden all recollection of the affair was lost in the general joy, which arose on the breaking of the fetters that foreigners had imposed upon our country. But the catastrophe was at hand, and that when we least expected it.

It was a fine summer evening, and I was sitting in my study, when Eloisa came in, anxiously announcing the appearance at our gate of a splendid equipage.

“The gentleman and lady have got out already,” she said.

“We shall learn from the servant who they are,” I replied, following her into the next room.

I was deceived, however, for, on the servant’s requesting the visitor’s name, we distinctly heard the answer, “An old acquaintance!”—and on his entrance I really thought that I had seen him before, though the recollection was imperfect.

“How!” said he, with great kindness in tone and manner, “do you so soon forget an old acquaintance?” 2