The Story

           "Withallmyheart,"saidtheGeneral,withaneffort;andafterashortpauseinwhichtoarrangehissubject,hecommencedoneofthestrangestnarrativesIeverheard.

           "Mydearchildwaslookingforwardwithgreatpleasuretothevisityouhadbeensogoodastoarrangeforhertoyourcharmingdaughter."Herehemademeagallantbutmelancholybow."InthemeantimewehadaninvitationtomyoldfriendtheCountCarlsfeld,whoseschlossisaboutsixleaguestotheothersideofKarnstein.Itwastoattendtheseriesoffeteswhich,youremember,weregivenbyhiminhonorofhisillustriousvisitor,theGrandDukeCharles."

           "Yes;andverysplendid,Ibelieve,theywere,"saidmyfather.

           "Princely!Butthenhishospitalitiesarequiteregal.HehasAladdin’slamp.Thenightfromwhichmysorrowdateswasdevotedtoamagnificentmasquerade.Thegroundswerethrownopen,thetreeshungwithcoloredlamps.TherewassuchadisplayoffireworksasParisitselfhadneverwitnessed.Andsuchmusic—music,youknow,ismyweakness—suchravishingmusic!Thefinestinstrumentalband,perhaps,intheworld,andthefinestsingerswhocouldbecollectedfromallthegreatoperasinEurope.Asyouwanderedthroughthesefantasticallyilluminatedgrounds,themoon-lightedchateauthrowingarosylightfromitslongrowsofwindows,youwouldsuddenlyheartheseravishingvoicesstealingfromthesilenceofsomegrove,orrisingfromboatsuponthelake.Ifeltmyself,asIlookedandlistened,carriedbackintotheromanceandpoetryofmyearlyyouth.