the guests, and endeavouring to amuse her with well-timed conversation; she looked modestly towards the ground, and gently returned the pressure of my hand.  At this moment the moon unexpectedly burst through the clouds: her shadow alone was there,—she started, looked alarmed at me, then at the earth, as if

her eyes were asking for my shadow;—all her emotions were painted so faithfully on her countenance, that I should have burst into a loud laugh, had I not felt an icy dullness creeping over me.

She sunk down from my arms in a swoon.  I flew like an arrow through the alarmed company, reached the door, threw myself into the first coach I found waiting there, and hurried back to the city, where, to my misfortune, I had left the foresighted Bendel.  He was startled at seeing me—a word told all.  Post-horses were instantly ordered.  I took only one of my servants with me, an interested villain called Rascal, who had learned to make himself useful by his dexterity, and who could suspect nothing of what had occurred.  We travelled a hundred miles before night.  Bendel was left behind to dismiss my household, to distribute my money by paying my debts, and to bring away what was most necessary.  When he overtook me the next day, I threw myself into his arms, solemnly promising to commit no farther folly, but to be more discreet in future.  We continued our journey without interruption, passing over the chain of mountains which formed the frontier; and only when on the descent, and separated by the high

bastions from the land so fatal to my peace, did I allow myself to be comforted, and hastened away to a watering-place in the vicinity, where I sought repose from my disappointments and my sorrows.

CHAPTER IV.

I must hurry rapidly over a part of my history, on which I should rejoice to linger, if I could invoke the living spirit of departed time.  But the beautiful associations which animated it once, and which alone could animate its memory, are now extinguished within me.  When I seek them—that influence which ruled so mightily over my joys and sorrows—my mingled destiny,—I strike in vain against a rock, that gives out a living stream no longer; the divinity is fled.  O how changed is the aspect of those days of old!  My intention was now to act an heroic character; but it was badly studied, and I a novice on the stage, was forgetting my part while fascinated by a pair of blue eyes.  In the intoxication of the scene, the parents seem eager to close the bargain, and the farce ends in a common mockery.  And this is all!  So stale, so unprofitable, and so melancholy are the revisitings of what beat once so nobly and proudly in my bosom.  Mina! as I wept when I lost thee, even now I weep to

have lost thee within me.  Am I become so old!  Pitiful intellect of man!  Oh, for a pulse-beat of those days, a moment of that consciousness,—but no!  I am a solitary wave in the dark and desolate sea: and the sparkling glass I drank was drugged with misery.

I had previously sent Bendel with bags of gold to fit out a dwelling suitable for me in the town.  He had scattered about a great deal of money, and talked mysteriously of the illustrious stranger whom he had the honour to serve (for I did not choose to be named), and this filled the good people with strange notions.  As soon as the house was ready for me, Bendel returned to convey me thither.  We started immediately.

About an hour’s distance from the place, on a sunny plain, a great number of persons in gala dresses arrested our progress.  The coach stopped: music, bell-ringing, and cannonading were heard; a loud acclamation rent the air, and a chorus of singularly beautiful maidens in white robes appeared at the door of the carriage, one of whom, surpassing the rest as the sun surpasses in brightness the stars of evening, stepped forward, and with graceful and modest blushes knelt before me, and presented to me on a silken cushion a wreath of laurel,

olive, and rose branches, garlanded together, while she uttered some words, which I understood not, of majesty, awe, and love, whose soft and silver tones enchanted my ear and my bosom: it seemed to me as if the heavenly apparition had once glided before me in other days.  The chorus began, and sang the praise of a good monarch, and the happiness of his people.

And this happened, my friend, in the bright sunshine: she continued to kneel some two steps before me, and I, shadowless, dared not spring over the gulf, that I might fall on my knees in her angelic presence.  What would I not have given in that moment for a shadow!  I was obliged to conceal my shame, my anguish, my despair, by sinking back into the carriage.  Bendel relieved me from my embarrassment: he leaped out from the other side—I called him back—and gave him out of my little casket, which lay close at hand, a rich diamond crown which was intended to adorn the lovely Fanny.  He moved forward, and spoke in his master’s name, “who neither could,” he said, “nor would accept such flattering marks of honour; there must have been some error, though he could not but thank the worthy townspeople for their expressions of kindness.”  He then

took the garland of flowers from its place, and put there instead of it the crown of diamonds.  His hand assisted the beautiful maiden to rise, and with a look of dignity he sent away the clergy, magistrates and deputies.  Nobody was allowed a farther audience.  He bade the crowd retire, and make room for the horses, and flung himself into the carriage, and off we went in a rapid gallop to the town, through the arches of flowers and laurels which had been erected.  The cannon continued to thunder—the coach at last reached my abode.  I turned hastily through the door, dividing the assembly who had gathered together to see me.  The mob cried, “God bless him!” under my window; and I ordered double ducats to be scattered among them.  At night the town was spontaneously illuminated.

And I knew not yet what all this meant, nor who I was imagined to be.  I sent out Rascal to get information.  He discovered that the people believed they had certain information that the good king of Prussia was travelling through the country, under the title of count;—that my adjutant had been recognized, and had discovered both himself and me;—in a word, that infinite joy had been felt at the certainty of having me among them.  They had

ascertained, indeed, that as I wished to preserve the strictest incognito, it had been wrong to draw up the veil so intrudingly;—but as I had expressed my displeasure with so much graciousness and kindness, surely my generous heart could forgive them.

It was so excellent a joke for my scoundrel servant, that he did as much as possible by his sharp remonstrances to confirm the good people in their opinions.  He gave me a most amusing account of his proceedings; and as he saw it animated me, he thought to add to my enjoyment by a display of his own knavish tricks.  Shall I confess it?  I was not a little flattered by even the illusion of being mistaken for the head of the kingdom.

I ordered a feast to be provided on the following evening, under the trees which overshadowed the expanse in front of my house, and the whole town to be invited.  The mysterious virtue of my purse, the exertions of Bendel, and the dexterous