618 THE BLACK MASK. 



was, however, suddenly turned from these to another part of the field, 

 where a dense crowd of people were seen to issue from one of the roads 

 which led through the park, and as they broke forth into the plain, the 

 air was rent with a tremendous shout, followed the moment after by the 

 deafening roar of the artillery, and while the loud cry of " Der Kaiser,'' 

 " Lcb der Kaiser," rose to the skies from thousands of his subjects 

 the gorgeous housings and golden panoply of the Hungarian hussars, 

 who formed the body guard, were seen caracalling upon their beautiful 

 " shimmels," (such is the term given them) and in the midst of them 

 rode the emperor himself, conspicuous even there for the address and 

 elegance of his horsemanship. 



The cavalcade had now reached the balcony where the baron and his 

 daughter were sitting ; there it halted for several minutes. The emperor 

 seemed to be paying his respects to some ladies of the court who were 

 there, and they were sufficiently near to observe that he was uncovered 

 while he spoke; but yet, "could not clearly discern his features. Adda's 

 heart beat high as she thought of one who might at that moment be 

 among the train ; for she knew that he was the personal friend of the 

 emperor and his favourite aide-de-camp. The cavalcade now was 

 slowly advancing, and stood within a few paces of where she was ; but 

 at the same time being totally concealed from her view by the rising up 

 of those who sat beside her, in their anxiety to behold the emperor. 

 She now, however, rose and leaned forward ; but no sooner had she 

 looked than she, with a loud cry, fell fainting back into the arms of 

 her father. The suddenness of the adventure was such, that the baron 

 had not even yet seen the emperor, and could but half catch the meaning 

 of her words as she dropped lifeless upon his neck. He had been but 

 too often of late a witness to her frequent faintings to be much alarmed 

 now ; and he at once attributed her present weakness to the heat and 

 excitement of the moment. Now, however, she showed no sign of 

 recovering sensibility, but lay cold and motionless where she had fallen 

 at first, surrounded by a great number of persons anxiously professing 

 aid and assistance ; for it was no sooner perceived that they were stran- 

 gers, than carriages were offered on all sides to convey them home, and 

 glad to avail himself of such a civility at the moment, the baron 

 disengaged himself from the crowd, and carried the still lifeless girl to a 

 carriage. 



During the entire way homeward, she lay in his arms speechless and 

 cold she answered him not as he called her by the most endearing 

 names ; and at last he began to think he never again should hear her 

 voice, when she slowly raised her eyes and gazed on him with a wild 

 and vacant stare she passed her hands across her forehead several 

 times, as if endeavouring to recollect some horrid and frightful dream ; 

 and then muttering some low indistinct sound, sank back into her former 

 insensibility. 



When they reached home, medical aid was procured ; but 'twas too 

 plain the lovely girl had received some dreadful mental shock, and they 

 knew not how to administer to her. She lay thus for two days, and on 

 the morning of the third, as the heart-broken and wretched father who 

 had never left her bedside, gazed npon the wreck of his once beauteous 

 child the warm tears falling fast upon her cheek ; what was his joy to 

 discover symptoms of returning animation. She moved her bosom 

 gently heaved and fell ; and raising one arm, placed it round her father's 



