A Guest

           Iamnowgoingtotellyousomethingsostrangethatitwillrequireallyourfaithinmyveracitytobelievemystory.Itisnotonlytrue,nevertheless,buttruthofwhichIhavebeenaneyewitness.

           Itwasasweetsummerevening,andmyfatheraskedme,ashesometimesdid,totakealittleramblewithhimalongthatbeautifulforestvistawhichIhavementionedaslyinginfrontoftheschloss.

           "GeneralSpielsdorfcannotcometoussosoonasIhadhoped,"saidmyfather,aswepursuedourwalk.

           Hewastohavepaidusavisitofsomeweeks,andwehadexpectedhisarrivalnextday.Hewastohavebroughtwithhimayounglady,hisnieceandward,MademoiselleRheinfeldt,whomIhadneverseen,butwhomIhadhearddescribedasaverycharminggirl,andinwhosesocietyIhadpromisedmyselfmanyhappydays.Iwasmoredisappointedthanayoungladylivinginatown,orabustlingneighborhoodcanpossiblyimagine.Thisvisit,andthenewacquaintanceitpromised,hadfurnishedmydaydreamformanyweeks

           "Andhowsoondoeshecome?"Iasked.

           "Nottillautumn.Notfortwomonths,Idaresay,"heanswered."AndIamverygladnow,dear,thatyouneverknewMademoiselleRheinfeldt."

           "Andwhy?"Iasked,bothmortifiedandcurious.

           "Becausethepooryoungladyisdead,"hereplied."IquiteforgotIhadnottoldyou,butyouwerenotintheroomwhenIreceivedtheGeneral’sletterthisevening."

           Iwasverymuchshocked.