Year: 1874

| ucIIul uJJle supper IN uThWeT, SJlll
feeling that 1t would not be there in the
morning, for men often dream that they
have found treasures of gold and have
locked 1t in an iron chest, to find, on
awakening, that it was only tantaliz.
ing dream.


Then went to bed AGAIN and slept
later than my custom.


AS soon as | was fairly awake in the
morning l pulled out the drawer of my
writing-desk in order to assure myself
that the last nights experience was either
q reality or dream. The slipper still
lay there, just the same, of white lace
and red ribbons, and Julian flower and
butterfly in the finest embroidery.


From this time on it seemed impossi
BILE for me to stay in the house. Day and
night, with every thought intent on solv-
ing riddle to which there seemed NO
key, l should soon be as crazy as the
rest of the household had ever been. No
there must be an end of it! Idealstic
dreams are very beautiful, but they did
not suit my constitution. l resolved to
lquit the castle and return to Pesth, and
either rent the estate or leave 1t in the
hands of the steward. Accordingly
called the servants together and told
them my plan. For year after my de-
parture l would continue their wages in
addition to the allowance made them by
the will of the late Count. | then dis
missed them unceremOniously, for | was
getting into that state of mind in which
did not wish to see any face about me.
All departed except the foolish door
keeper. OF course he was going to tell
me that "a master is master even in
hell" To my great surprise the man
put off his military manner, approached
me, kissed my hand, and began to speak
in an entirely changed and unaccus.
toned voice.


"Why will you leave this place Does?
the poor girl annoy your"


was astonished beyond measure.
The man, then, was not mad


" 1t seems to me that great change
has come over YOU" returned.


Yes, sir. / wish to tell you every.
thing, and you will then understand
much that up to this time must have
seemed strange; and then, think, you
will not leave the castle"


His manners, language and expression
were such that l involuntarily invited
him to sit down, which he did. l was
now convinced that he knew the secrets
of the castle, and anxiously awaited his
developments.


"The deceased Count" he said, chad
an unfortunate secret alliance. Wishing
to make reparation TO his child who was
motherless from her BIRTH he brought
her here in order to educate and lawful
ly adopt her. But he was not permitted
to make full reparation on earth. The
girl grew very beautiful, but never
learned to speak. She is not deaf and
dumb, for she sings and notices the
slightest sound. But she never speaks a
work; she only sings. Like forest
| bird, she has different tones, with
which she makes known her pleasures
or griefs to those who understand her
speech. The poor Count and | learned
this music language, and l understood
her. was the Counts only contidant
He once said to me: If | should die,
leaving testimony that this child was
mine, what would happen to her? Peo-
pie would certainly consider her crazy,
which she is not. She has understand
ing, good heart, natural affection, and
comprehends human thought. Still
\ they would put her in some in
sane asylum, and so make her
really idiotic. How shall / prevent
this?' Then the Count had the strange
thought to make an asylum out of his
own castle for the sake of the child
From far and near in the vicinity he
brought together the village ounces, and
the steward he brought directly from an
insane asylum. / was the only one of
all who was in possession of my five
senses, but l pretended the worst mad
ness of all, so that the affair should be.
come notorious. Then the Count gave
himself up to the care of the unfortu.
mates with ceaseless patience, and gradu
ally made docile, quiet human beings OF
| lat loef ho haI 81 "a
he had not partially cured from some
mental disease. His object in doing this,
and leaving them home here for life,
was to prevent his heirs from either liv-
ing in or selling the castle, for he thought
no one would buy an estate Under such
conditions. | confess, sir, that when you
first came l counted on your not re-
naming more than two months in the
castle. 1t is built with secret passages
between all the rooms. | myself do not
know how they are arranged. Viola
alone possesses the secret"


Viola! The name startled me- And
yet it would well suit my fancy picture
:" In this way Viola comes down to the
hall every night, where have her food
prepared If should die the steward
would care for her. On these occasions
/ often spoke to her of you, and was
surprised to find that the poor girl, in.
stead of being afraid of the stranger
who had bought her fathers castle, was
so much pleased with you that she sighs
and bushes at the mention of your
name. Yes, she even let me know that
she was accustomed to sit by you while
you slept, and guard your dreams. You
have perhaps not known that before%


Oh, knew it very well


| 4. htrf
should go away now she certainly would
become So To-day she came to me
weeping could not imagine what haC
happened. AS she became somewhat
calmer she made me understand tha
while you were asleep she had agaiI
stolen to your room, and-had ever
kissed you. l cannot describe the tender
modest smile with which she acknowl
edged it. Then, frightened, she covered
her face and fell upon her knees, wiring
ing her hands, with a beseeching look
and the tones of wounded bird entreat
ing the hunter not to kill or imprison it
Viola prays that you will not be angry
with her. She will not disturb yoI
again, not even with her singing Sh,
will be still in the house. You shall no
even be conscious of her existence; only
pardon her this, But pray you, sir, no
10 leave tne castle. Ou know ltS Secret
now. We who are here love you 81
muchl No one but you could so wei
manage these poor unfortunates.
really do not believe that Viola will visi
you again; but If you should accidental!
meet her you will act with that thought
fulness which every prosperous human
being owes to the unfortunate"


became suddenly aware of the fac
| hot II alaly snn hot
in friendly way; but l had alread,
grown accustomed to extraordinary pro
ceedings,


, Having assured him that l would re
main and that was not angry with "
ola, | begged he would no longer kee
up the role of an idiot in my presence,
For two months never once heard tn
4 voice of my fairy. i was like one VIII
7 has lost friend whom he night