Page:The Castle of Wolfenbach - Parsons - 1854.djvu/16

 she looks as mild as the flowers in May." They had now unloaded their faithful ass, and entered the kitchen with their provender. Joseph was confounded at the appearance of the lady; he made his humble bow but was very silent. Bertha prepared some eggs and fruit for her supper; she eat but little, and that little was to oblige the old couple; she then asked for a candle and said she would retire to her room. Joseph and Bertha looked at each other with terror, both were silent; at length Joseph with much hesitation of voice and manner, said, "I fear madam, you will not be quiet there, it will be better, to my thinking, if a fire was made in one of the parlors and the bedding brought down. There is no occasion for fire, (answered the lady) but merely to air the room; however, I am not in any apprehension of sleeping in the room above, at least I will try it this night. It was with great reluctance the honest couple permitted her to retire; Bertha had not even the courage to accompany her, but Albert and Joseph offering to go, she ventured up to make the bed, and her work finished, flew down like one escaped from great danger.

The men having withdrawn, the lady seated herself at the dressing table, and having opened her portmantua to take out some linen for the ensuing day, she burst into tears on viewing the small quantity of necessaries she possessed; she cast a retrospection on her past calamities, they made her shudder: she looked forward to the future, all was dark and gloomy; she wrung her hands, "What will become of me, unhappy as I am, where can I fly? who will receive a poor unfortunate, without family or friends? the little money I have will be soon exhausted, and what is to be the fate of poor Albert, who has left all to follow me!" Overcome with sorrow, she wept aloud. When, turning her eyes to the window, she saw a light glide by from the opposite wing, which her room fronted, and which Bertha had informed