The old woman was very curious to know the contents of the note, and why I was so very merry of a sudden.  But the matter was far too intricate for me to be able to explain it to her.  I merely pointed to a couple of storks that were sailing through the air far above our heads, and said that so must I go, far, far away.  At this she opened her bleared eyes wide, and cast a sinister glance first at me and then at the old man.  After that, I noticed as often as I turned away that they put their heads together and talked eagerly, glancing askance toward me from time to time.

This puzzled me.  I pondered upon what scheme they could be hatching, and I grew more quiet.  The sun had long set, so I wished them all good night and betook myself thoughtfully to my bedroom.

I felt so happy and so restless that for a long while I paced the apartment to and fro.  Outside, the wind was driving black, heavy clouds high above the castle-tower; the nearest mountain-summit could be scarcely discerned in the thick darkness.  Then I thought I heard voices in the garden below.  I put out my candle and sat down at the window.  The voices seemed to come nearer, speaking in low tones, and suddenly a long ray of light shot from a small lantern concealed under the cloak of a dark figure.  I instantly recognized the grim old steward and the old housekeeper.  The light flashed in the face of the old woman, who looked to me more hideous than ever, and upon the blade of a long knife which she held in her hand.  I could plainly see that both of them were looking up at my window.  Then the steward folded his cloak more closely, and all was dark and silent.

“What do they want,” I thought, “out in the garden, at this hour?” I shuddered; I could not help recalling all the stories of murders that I had ever heard—­all the tales of witches and robbers who slaughtered people that they might devour their hearts.  Whilst I was filled with such thoughts, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs softly, then very softly along the narrow passage directly to my door; and at the same time I thought I heard voices whispering together.  I ran hastily to the other end of the room and behind a large table, which I could lift and bang against the door as soon as anything stirred outside.  But in the darkness I upset a chair, which made a tremendous crash.  In an instant all was profound silence outside.  I listened behind the table, staring at the door as if I could pierce it with my eyes, which felt as if they were starting from my head.  When I had kept so quiet for a while that the buzzing of a fly could have been plainly heard, I distinguished the sound of a key softly put into the keyhole of my door on the outside.  I was just about to make a demonstration with my table, when the key was turned slowly three times round in the lock, and then cautiously withdrawn, after which the footsteps retreated along the passage and down the staircase.

I took a long breath.  “Oho!” I thought, “they have locked me up that all may be easy when I am sound asleep.”  I tried the door, and found it locked, as was also the other door, behind which the pale maid slept.  This had never been so before since I had been at the castle.