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 seen again; and the peasantry who lived near the forest, even pretended that they had seen the summit of the mountain which overhung their valley illuminated, and spirits dance around it.

Very well!’ exclaimed the count with a gloomy air; ‘so all the old idle trash is resumed: the Death-Bride is also, I hope, going to play her part.’

“The valet having pushed aside the gardener, that he might not still further enrage the count, I put in my word; and said to the count, ‘You might at least listen to what they have to say, and learn what it is they pretend to have seen.’

What is said about the Death-Bride?’ said I to the gardener.

“He shrugged up his shoulders.

Was I not right?’ cried the count: ‘here we are then, and must listen to this ridiculous tale. All these things are treasured in the memory of these people, and constantly afford subjects and phantoms to their imaginations.Is it permitted to ask under what form?’

Pray pardon me,’ replied the gardener; ‘but it resembled the deceased mademoiselle Hildegarde. She passed close to me in the garden, and then came into the castle.”

O!’ said the count to him, ‘I beg, in future you will be a little more circumspect in your