- - - - Believe me, Sir;

It carries a rare form — But ’tis a spirit. —

The Tempest.

There was a short silence after the Bernese had concluded his singular tale. Arthur Philipson’s attention had been gradually and intensely attracted by a story, which was too much in unison with the received ideas of the age to be encountered by the unhesitating incredulity with which it must have been heard in later and more enlightened times.

He was also considerably struck by the manner in which it had been told by the narrator, whom he had hitherto only regarded in the light of a rude huntsman or soldier; whereas he now allowed Donnerhugel credit for a more extensive acquaintance with the general manners of the world than he had previously anticipated. The Swiss rose in his opinion as a man of talent, but without making the slightest progress in his affections. “The swash-buckler,” he said to himself, “has brains, as well as brawn and bones, and is fitter for the office of commanding others than I formerly thought him.” Then, turning to his companion, he thanked him for the tale, which had shortened the way in so interesting a manner.

“And it is from this singular marriage,” he continued, “that Anne of Geierstein derives her origin?”

“Her mother,” answered the Swiss, “was Sybilla of Arnheim, the infant at whose christening the mother died — disappeared — or whatever you may list to call it. The Baron of Arnheim, being a male fief, reverted to the Emperor. The castle has never been inhabited since the death of the last lord; and has, as I have heard, become in some sort ruinous. The occupations of its ancient proprietors, and, above all, the catastrophe of its last inhabitant, have been thought to render it no eligible place of residence.”

“Did there appear anything preternatural,” said the English-man, “about the young Baroness, who married the brother of the Landamman?”

“So far as I have heard,” replied Rudolph, “there were strange stories. It was said that the nurses, at the dead of night, have seen Hermione, the last Baroness of Arnheim, stand weeping by the side of the child’s cradle, and other things to the same purpose. But here I speak from less correct information than that from which I drew my former narrative.”

“And since the credibility of a story, not very probable in itself, must needs be granted, or withheld, according to the evidence on which it is given, may I ask you,” said Arthur, “to tell me what is the authority on which you have so much reliance?”

“Willingly,” answered the Swiss. “Know that Theodore Donnerhugel, the favorite page of the last Baron of Arnheim, was my father’s brother. Upon his master’s death he retired to his native town of Berne, and most of his time was employed in training me up to arms and martial exercises, as well according to the fashion of Germany as of Switzerland, for he was master of all. He witnessed with his own eyes, and heard with his own ears, great part of the melancholy and mysterious events which I have detailed to you. Should you ever visit Berne, you may see the good old man.”

“You think, then,” said Arthur, “that the appearance which I have this night seen is connected with the mysterious marriage of Anne of Geierstein’s grandfather?”

“Nay,” replied Rudolph, “think not that I can lay down any positive explanation of a thing so strange. I can only say, that unless I did you the injustice to disbelieve your testimony respecting the apparition of this evening, I know no way to account for it, except by remembering that there is a portion of the young lady’s blood which is thought not to be derived from the race of Adam, but more or less directly from one of those elementary spirits which have been talked of both in ancient and modern times. But I may be mistaken. We will see how she bears herself in the morning, and whether she carries in her looks the weariness and paleness of a midnight watcher. If she doth not, we may be authorized in thinking; either that your eyes have strangely deceived you, or that they have been cheated by some spectral appearance, which is not of this world.”

To this the young Englishman attempted no reply, nor was there time for any; for they were immediately afterwards challenged by the sentinel from the drawbridge.

The question, “Who goes there?” was twice satisfactorily answered, before Sigismund would admit the patrol to cross the drawbridge.

“Ass and mule that thou art,” said Rudolph, “what was the meaning of thy delay?”

“Ass and mule thyself, Hauptman,” said the Swiss, in answer to this objurgation. “I have been surprised by a goblin on my post once to-night already, and I have got so much experience upon that matter, that I will not easily be caught a second time.”

“What goblin, thou fool,” said Donnerhugel, “would be idle enough to play his gambols at the expense of so very poor an animal as thou art?”

“Thou art as cross as my father, Hauptman,” replied Sigismund, “who cries fool and blockhead at every word I speak and yet I have lips, teeth, and tongue to speak with just like other folk.”

“ We will not contest the matter, Sigismund,” said Rudolph. “It is clear, that if thou dost differ from other people, it is in a particular which thou caust be hardly expected to find out or acknowledge. But what, in the name of simplicity, is it which hath alarmed thee on thy post?”

“Marry, thus it was, Hauptman,” returned Sigismund Biederman. “I was something tired, you see, with looking up at the broad moon, and thinking what in the universe it could be made of, and how we came to see it just as well here as at home, this place being so many miles from Geierstein. I was tired, I say, of this and other perplexing thoughts, so I drew my fur cap down over my ears, for I promise you the wind blew shrill; and then I planted myself firm on my feet, with one of my legs a little advanced, and both my hands resting on my partisan, which I placed upright before me to rest upon, and so I shut mine eyes.”

“Shut thine eyes, Sigismund, and thou upon thy watch?” exclaimed Donnerhugel.

“Care not thou for that,” answered Sigismund; “I kept my ears open. And yet it was to little purpose, for something came upon the bridge with a step as stealthy as that of a mouse. I looked up with a start at the moment it was opposite to me, and when I looked up — whom think you I saw?”

“Some fool like thyself,” said Rudolph, at the same time pressing Philipson’s foot to make him attend to the answer; a hint which was little necessary, since he waited for it in the utmost agitation. Out it came at last.

“By Saint Mark, it was our own Anne of Geierstein!”

“It is impossible!” replied the Bernese.

“I should have said so too,” quoth Sigismund, “for I had peeped into her bedroom before she went thither, and it was so bedizened that a queen or a princess might have slept in it and why should the wench get out of her good quarters, with all her friends about her to guard her, and go out to wander in the forest?”

“May be,” said Rudolph, “she only looked from the bridge to see how the night waned.”

“No,” said Sigismund; “she was returning from the forest. I saw her when she reached the end of the bridge, and thought of striking at her, conceiving it to be the devil in her likeness. But I remembered my halberd is no birch switch to chastise boys and girls with; and had I done Anne any harm, you would all have been angry with me, and, to speak truth, I should have been ill pleased with myself; for although she doth make a jest of me now and then, yet it were a dull house ours were we to lose Anne.”

“Ass,” answered the Bernese, “didst thou speak to this form, or goblin as you call it?”

“Indeed I did not, Captain Wiseacre. My father is ever angry with me when I speak without thinking, and I could not at that particular moment think on anything to the purpose. Neither was there time to think, for she passed me like a snowflake upon a whirlwind. I marched into the castle after her, however, calling on her by name; so the sleepers were awakened, and men flew to their arms, and there was as much confusion as if Archibald of Hagenbach had been among us with sword and pike. And who should come out of her little bedroom, as much startled and as much in a bustle as any of us, but Mrs. Anne herself! And as she protested she had never left her room that night, why I, Sigismund Biederman, was made to stand the whole blame, as if I could prevent people’s ghosts from walking. But I told her my mind when I saw them all so set against me. ‘ And, Mistress Anne,’ quoth I, ‘it’s well known the kindred you come of; and after this fair notice, if you send any of your double-gangers 7 to me, let them put iron skull-caps on their heads, for I will give them the length and weight of a Swiss halberd, come in what shape they list.’ However, they all called, ‘Shame on me!’ and my father drove me out again, with as little remorse as if I had been the old house-dog, which had stolen in from his watch to the fireside.”

The Bernese replied, with an air of coldness approaching to contempt, ” You have slept on your watch, Sigismund, a high military offence, and you have dreamed while you slept. You were in good luck that the Landamman did not suspect your negligence, or instead of being sent back to your duty like a lazy watch-dog, you might have been scourged back like a faith less one to your kennel at Geierstein, as chanced to poor Ernest for a less matter.”

“Ernest has not yet gone back though,” said Sigismund, “and I think he may pass as far into Burgundy as we shall do in this journey. I pray you, however, Hauptman, to treat me not dog-like, but as a man, and send some one to relieve me, instead of prating here in the cold night air. If there be anything to do to-morrow, as I well guess there may, a mouthful of food, and a minute of sleep, will be but a fitting preparative, and I have stood watch here these two mortal hours.”

With that the young giant yawned portentously, as if to enforce the reason of his appeal.

“A mouthful and a minute?” said Rudolph, — “a roasted ox and a lethargy like that of the Seven Sleepers would scarce restore you to the use of your refreshed and waking senses. But I am your friend, Sigismund, and you are secure in my favorable report; you shall be instantly relieved, that you may sleep, if it be possible, without disturbances from dreams. — Pass on, young men” (addressing the others, who by this time had come up), “and go to your rest; Arthur of England and I will report to the Landamman and the Banneret the account of our patrol.”

The patrol accordingly entered the castle, and were soon beard joining their slumbering companions. Rudolph Donnerhugel seized Arthur’s arm, and, while they went towards the hall, whispered in his ear, — “These are strange passages! — How think you we should report them to the deputation?”

“That I must refer to yourself,” said Arthur; “you are ............