A TALE OF BLOOD. 115 



Indeed, there were blossoms of all hue and shape, and shade, and grade 

 of loveliness, and the perfume that arose from this little wilderness 

 of sweets as the breeze wantoned over it, might have wooed a Peri 

 from Paradise. But dreams of perfume and Peris played not over the 

 olfactory organs, or the poetical fancy of the impatient and jaded 

 soldier ; a less cautious tapping than previously — in fact a tremendous 

 application of his fists to the old oaken panels brought, first the 

 hurried apparition of a taper to the lozenged window above, and 

 secondly, the bodily semblance of a tall, slender, spindle-shanked, 

 sleepy- eyed youth, to the door. With a quick fling the soldier strode 

 through a d^ark sinuous passage, and entering a warm kitchen, glittering 

 with culinary utensils of the brightest pewter, brass, and copper, he de- 

 posited the corpse on the floor, and surlily bade his shambling attendant fast 

 bar the door. But he spoke and exorcised in vain. Karl stood still, an 

 image petrified ; his large leaden eyes fully expanded, his mouth drawn 

 down, his arms depending rigidly at his side, with the hands spread 

 out, and fear and terror written most legibly on his colourless visage. 

 •' How now !" angrily demanded his master, " what is the elfin dream- 

 ing of ? By the blade of my sword you look more like a mandrake 

 uprooted, than any thing Christian." This greeting of brief ceremony 

 dissolved the spell that sate on the panic-struck youth, his lips parted, 

 and in a quick,, shrill, half-agonized tone he cried out — " The governor's 

 favourite stag — slain outright !" and, making one stride to the back 

 gate, he barred and bolted till the battering-ram of the ancients might 

 have found it tough work to break away. ^' Is it possible? The 

 governor's favourite ! — the fawn ! — the tame fawn that followed him 

 every where !" cried Crepu, the delinquent, eying the poor victim fear- 

 fully. ** Aye ! and that was fed at his table — eat out of his own hands, 

 drank of his cup, and lay in his ante-room I" mournfully responded Karl, 

 gazing on the inanimate beast. " Holy Mother preserve me !" ejaculated 

 Crepu, wringing his hands and bitterly striding across the kitchen. 

 ** His Serene Highness will raise the whole city ! we shall all be hanged, 

 drawn^ and quartered !" pursued Karl. " Peace, villain ! or I will stew 

 thee alive !" roared his master, turning on him in an agony of passion 

 and fright. With one bound Karl made to the door, and his lank 

 personage vanished in an instant at the top of a wide dark-grained stair- 

 case of oak, which he had ascended with the celerity of lightning. In 

 a few seconds he re-appeared, followed by a young man of fair hand- 

 some features, with bright tresses waving gracefully on his shoulders, 

 and a gallant figure well set off in a suit of forester's green. ** Hans ! — 

 Hans ! what is to be done ?" cried out Crepu, on his entering the 

 kitchen, " see what mischief Beelzebub and his imps have led me into ! 

 Alas ! alas ! that I should have lived to behold this ruin !" and the 

 miserable man again wrung his hands with dismay." ** The governor's 

 fawn 1 who-o-o !" exclaimed the young man in an under tone, indicative 

 of strong surprise, and whistling inwardly as he stooped over the 

 beautiful creature, and raising the head showed a rich silver collar, 

 bearing the arms and titles of the most irascible of all men. A groan 

 of horror burst from Karl, and Crepu re-echoed it with awful vehemence. 

 ** Had you knocked a fat citizen on the sconce, or pinked him into 

 eternity, all might have been well, good master," said the young student, 

 still scrutinizing the poor beast with the sharp glance of a sportsman — 

 '*but by the Tun of Heidelbergh, the death of his stag will be never 

 forgiven !" Karl melted into loud wailings, " Perdition !" groaned 

 Crepu — '* Perdition, indeed," returned Hans, "to loiter with the brute 

 in the house 1 Come, come — out with the knives — flay it and quarter 



