through the trees with a weird, unearthly brilliancy.  We had to go very slowly in the narrow rocky ravines, and the continuous, monotonous rattle of the carriage reechoed from the walls on either side, as if we were driving through a vaulted tomb.  From the depths of the forest came a ceaseless murmur of unseen water-falls, and the owlets hooted in the distance “Come too! come too!” As I looked at the driver, I noticed for the first time that he wore no uniform and was not a postilion; he seemed to be growing restless, turning his head and looking behind him several times.  Then he began to drive quicker, and as I leaned out of the carriage a horseman came out of the shrubbery on one side of the road, crossed it at a bound directly in front of our horses, and vanished in the forest on the other side.  I felt bewildered; as far as I could see in the bright moonlight the rider was that very same crooked little man who had so pecked at me with his hooked nose in the inn, and mounted, too, on the same white horse.  The driver shook his head and laughed aloud at such horsemanship, then quickly turned to me and said a great deal very eagerly, not a word of which did I understand, and then he drove on more rapidly than ever.

I was rejoiced soon afterward when I perceived a light glimmering in the distance.  Gradually more and more lights appeared, and at last we passed several smoke-dried huts clinging like swallows’ nests to the rocks.  As the night was warm, the doors stood open, and I could see into the lighted rooms, and all sorts of ragged figures gathered about the hearths.  We rattled on through the quiet night, along a steep, stony road leading up a high mountain.  Soon lofty trees and hanging vines arched completely over us, and anon the heavens became visible, and we could overlook in the depths a distant circle of mountains, forests, and valleys.  On the summit of the mountain stood a grand old castle, its many towers gleaming in the brilliant moonlight.  “God be thanked!” I exclaimed, greatly relieved, and on the tiptoe of expectation as to whither I was being conducted.

A good half-hour passed, however, before we reached the gate-way of the castle.  It led under a broad round tower, the summit of which was half ruined.  The driver cracked his whip three times, so that the old castle reechoed, and a flock of startled rooks flew forth from every sheltered nook and careered wildly overhead with hoarse caws.  Then the carriage rolled on through the long, dark gate-way.  The iron shoes of the horses struck fire upon the stone pavement, a large dog barked, the wheels thundered along the vaulted passage, the rooks’ hoarse cries resounded, and amidst all this horrible hubbub we reached a small, paved courtyard.