Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 011.djvu/500

 chamber, and knocked at the door, and when I heard him move I quickly withdrew; but, as I saw nothing of him, I knocked again; the “come in” which he called out lustily, frightened me away again; I now felt the floor begin to shake under me. In my terror, I forced open the door and was about to enter, when he approached me with a light. He may, I dare say, have taken me in my white dress for a ghost, or for a nun come back again, but I was very glad to see him up, and to hear him follow me, as I hastened back again; he continued to pursue me till I got into a little court at some distance; I returned by a shorter way to the workmen, and upon my giving them a sign that the stranger was in safety, the old walls with a tremendous crash fell in. I took care not to be seen by him again, as he might have recognized me, and that would have betrayed our roguery; but I would not willingly experience the anxiety of that night’s adventure again.”

“And is it then really possible,” exclaimed the counsellor, clasping his wife to his breast, “thou didst really venture into the tottering and nearly falling building to become a protecting angel to that stranger?”

“Oh, there was nothing to wonder at,” replied the lady; “the danger overcame every other consideration. But really I do not understand this,—am I betrayed? you look at me, my love, with such particular affection, and the professor there is laughing again like a wild man,—what does all this mean?”

“You shall soon know,” replied the counsellor. “While you were absent, I told the professor, for the sake of convincing him of the error of his incredulity, how once a protecting spirit had conducted me out of a house, which I had no sooner quitted than it fell down; and now I find that this spirit was no other than that dear angel, who soon after began to accompany me through life in a corporeal form, my Antonia.”

“How,” exclaimed the lady, “were you then that commissioner?”

“Exactly. Ettmüller, who was unwell at the time, commissioned me to execute that business for him.”

“Oh, this is indeed delightful,” embracing her husband affectionately.

“The professor would indeed now triumph, if these brave Cosaks had not embraced your cause against his unbelief.”

“You may give up my cause,” said his wife smiling; “I had very good grounds for my foreboding respecting the visit of this night. My brother, as you know, is with the Prussians in the neighbourhood. He sent me, this morning, a letter for his wife, with a secret injunction to deliver it this evening to a Cosak who would ask for it; but if no one came, I was to burn it directly. The address on it was, I conclude, merely to deceive. The Cosak was true to his commission, and had the letter and something to drink besides. My brother will excuse himself for making this a secret to you.”

“Bravo! admirable,” shouted the professor; “and so can all visions and marvellous stories be elucidated, I doubt not.”

“I heartily agree with you,” said the lady, “and can fulfil your expectation on the spot as to your holy graal. You may remember I told you my story originated in my seeing that, and now in justice I must return to it. The Amtman, my friend’s husband, was quite inconsolable for the loss of his treasures; for though we had preserved the greater part in safety, yet we had not saved all, for we poor ignorant folks could not appreciate the inestimable value of some of the old