THE BLACK MASK. 613 



On the following morning the count rose early, and quite refreshed 

 from the toils of the preceding day, descended to the breakfast-room ; 

 the family had not as yet assembled, and Adela was sitting alone in the 

 recess of a window which overlooked the Danube ; as he approached 

 and saluted her, she seemed scarcely able to rouse herself from some 

 deep reverie in which she appeared to have fallen ; and after briefly 

 bidding him " Good morning," laconically asked, " Can it be that you 

 crossed the stream there?" at the same moment pointing to where the 

 river rolled on beneath them, in waves of white and toiling foam. The 

 count sat down beside her, and narrated his entire adventure, from the 

 time he had lost sight of his companions ; and so earnestly did she 

 listen and he speak, that they were unaware of the entrance of the 

 baron, who had twice saluted the count, and was now heard for the 

 first time, as he entreated him to defer his departure for that day at 

 least, pleading the impossibility of venturing on leaving the castle in 

 so dreadful a storm of snow and wind. To this request, warmly 

 seconded by Adela, the count gladly acceded: ere long the baron com- 

 mended his guest to the care of his daughter, and left the room. 



To Adela, who was unacquainted with all the forms of " the world," 

 and knew not any impropriety in the advances she made towards 

 intimacy with her new acquaintance for she felt none her only aim 

 was to render his imprisonment less miserable, and enable him to while 

 away the hours of a winter day with fewer feelings of ennui and weari- 

 ness than otherwise. It will not then be wondered at if the clay passed 

 rapidly over, her songs and legends of her native land, found in him an 

 impassioned and delighted listener, and, ere he knew it, he was per- 

 fectly captivated by one of whose very existence but a few hours before 

 he was perfectly ignorant. 



It was evident that he felt as flattery, the frank and intimate tone 

 she assumed towards him, and knew not she would have treated any 

 other similarly situated, with the same unsuspecting and friendly 

 demeanour. It was then with a feeling of sorrow, he watched the 

 coming darkness of evening. ie In a few hours more," thought he, 

 " and I shall be far away, and no more spoken of or remembered, than 

 as one of the many who came and went again." The evening passed 

 happily as the day had done, and they separated ; the count having 

 promised not to leave the castle the following day until noon, when the 

 baron should accompany him, and see him safely on the road to Vienna. 



The hour of leave-taking at length arrived, and amid the bustle and 

 preparation for departure, the count approached a small tower, which 

 opening from one of the angles of the apartments served, in time of 

 warfare, to protect that part of the building, but which had been 

 devoted to the more peaceful office of a lady's boudoir. Here was 

 Adela sitting, her head resting on her hand, and her whole appearance 

 divested of that gay and buoyant character which had been peculiarly 

 her own ; she rose as he came forward, and glancing at his cap, which 

 he held on one arm, took hold of his hand, and endeavoured as care- 

 lessly as possible to allude to his departure : but her heart failed, and 

 her low trembling voice betrayed her feeling when she asked " Will 

 you then leave us so suddenly ?" The count muttered something, in 

 which the words " the emperor long absence Vienna," were alone 

 audible, and pressing closely that hand, which since he last touched it, 

 had never left his, seated himself beside her. There was a silence for 



