Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/65

 birds joined to welcome us in universal chorus. We entered a long half-decayed gallery That led us into a castle, whose tottering structure supported its weight on the front of a fanciful hillock. Many of the windows of the old mansion were strongly barred with iron. We entered the-gate, and descended a long tortuous flight of steps, passing through several narrow corridors, and spacious caves, till we came into a large room, where my guide put out the torches, and went away, bidding me wait his return.

Full an hour had I waited,fitting half exhausted on the floor;nobody came, and/like an aspen leaf, I shook with fear. At last a door opened, two muffled figures with torches beckoned, and conducted me arm in arm into a large saloon, and I now thought myself in the company of friends and brothers.

The saloon was superbly illuminated, three elegant chandeliers with crystal branches and wax-lights, hung from its cieling, which, with he walls, being covered with pier-glasses, reflected every object all over the place. A numerous assembly of persons veiled in white,