Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 1.djvu/80

 round, however, we missed our aim, for every one of us began to grow drowsy soon after we had finished our meal—we rose and walked about in order to avoid falling asleep, but we were soon tired of it, the ground being so very uneven, and returned to our seats. I recollected now, very fortunately, that I had put the fables of Gellert in my pocket, I took the book out, and began to read to the company; then I gave it to the Baron, and he was relieved by the Lieutenant—thus we were enabled to resist, the powerful charms of sleep."

"Now it struck eleven. All around us. was buried in awful silence, which only now and then was interrupted by the creaking of our feeble chairs: The Lieutenant wound up his watch and put it before him on the table."

"One hour more," began now the officer, "and we shall be in the other world." Then he awoke his servant, who was fast asleep,