round with strong ropes, which were to be pulled by horses to draw them suddenly from under the roof and walls, and we only waited for midnight; but while we were thus busy a coach drove up to the door, and the expected commissioner made his appearance. But I really believe you are laughing at me and my story, which is very uncivil: well, I will keep it to myself.”

"Quite the contrary," said the professor; " your story is very interesting to us, and I beg you most earnestly to continue our laughing was occasioned by a similar history we heard no great while ago."

"Oh, you must tell us that!" exclaimed the lady. "Afterwards," replied the professor; "but first per

mit us to hear the conclusion of your adventure." "You left off at the arrival of the commissioner," said the counsellor.

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Ah, true," replied his lady, smiling; "I had more business to perform yet that evening. He was a young and handsome man-what was his name? let me recollect-oh! Ettmüller."

"The Herr Ettmüller!" exclaimed her husband gaily. "Ettmüller a young and handsome man! Why he was a dry, withered old fellow, who died five years ago in his eighty-sixth year."

"What then?" observed she, "that must have been another person; this commissioner, I tell you, was a well-formed man about your size; and, as I recollect, his voice resembled yours very much; so you may

imagine I was not a little taken with him ;-but, professor, you make me quite angry with your laughing; and you, too, are beginning again, my dear: you are both of you making a jest of me."

The professor deprecated, the husband flattered, and both begged her to proceed with her story.

"But then let no one laugh again!" threatened the fair narrator," else I am quite mute. Well, this handsome commissioner arrived; but he was by far too polite, for he prated such fine things to my friend about her romantic abode in the old convent, and his own fondness for these fatal antiquarian researches, that she lost all hope that he would be opposed to her husband, and report the necessity of a new building. She therefore desired me to superintend the remaining preparations, whilst she entertained her guest; but I presume she was little edified by this antiquarian commissioner, for she soon had hini conducted to his room, and came to assist us in our arrangements for our work. But we were not a little frightened as we were going about the court to look after the workmen, who were already chopping at the props, that they might give way the easier, to see a light in one of the windows of the very part of the house about to be precipitated; and in the instant it occurred to us that the stupid servant Peter, who was ignorant of our intentions, had conducted the stranger into the former state-room, which was at that instant expected to

fall. We instantly called to the workmen to stop, and ordered the horses to be unfastened from the ropes; but the question now was, how we were to get the guest out of the tottering building without betraying all. My friend was so agitated by fear that she could hardly stand; I do not know how, but I mustered courage enough to determine to call him myself. Let him conjecture what he will, thought I, so he be once rescued. I accordingly ran to his chamber, and knocked at the door, and when I heard him move I quickly withdrew; but, as I saw nothing of him, I knocked again; the 'come in,' which he called out lustily, frightened me away again; I now felt the floor begin to shake under me. In my terror, I forced open the door, and was about to enter, when he approached me with a light. He may, I dare say, have taken me in my white dress for a ghost, or for a nun come back again, but I was very glad to see him up, and to hear him follow me, as I hastened back again. He continued to pursue me till I got into a little court at some distance; I returned by a shorter way to the workmen, and upon my giving them a sign that the stranger was in safety, the old walls with a tremendous crash fell in. I took care not to be seen by him again, as he might have recognized me, and that would have betrayed our roguery; but I would not willingly experience the anxiety of that night's adventure again."

"And is it then really possible," exclaimed the coun

sellor, clasping his wife to his breast,

"thou didst really venture into the tottering and nearly falling building to become a protecting angel to that stranger?"

"Oh, there was nothing to wonder at," replied the lady; "the danger overcame every other consideration. But really I do not understand this-am I betrayed? you look at me, my love, with such particular affection, and the professor there is laughing again like a wild man-what does all this mean?"

"You shall soon know," replied the counsellor. "While you were absent, I told the professor, for the sake of convincing him of the error of his incredulity, how once a protecting spirit had conducted me out of a house, which I had no sooner quitted than it fell down; and now I find that this spirit was no other than that dear angel, who soon after began to accompany me through life in a corporeal form-my Antonia.".

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"How," exclaimed the lady, were you then that

commissioner ?"

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Exactly. Ettmüller, who was unwell at the time, commissioned me to execute that business for him."

"Oh, this is indeed delightful," embracing her husband affectionately.

"The professor would indeed now triumph, if these brave Cosaks had not embraced your cause against his unbelief.",

"You may give up my cause," said his wife smiling.

"I had very good grounds for my foreboding respecting the visit of this night. My brother, as you know, is with the Prussians in the neighbourhood. He sent me, this morning, a letter for his wife, with a secret injunction to deliver it this evening to a Cosak who would ask for it; but if no one came I was to burn it directly. The address on it was, I conclude, merely to deceive. The Cosak was true to his commission, and had the letter and something to drink besides. My brother will excuse himself for making this a secret to you."

"and

"Bravo! admirable!" shouted the professor; so can all visions and marvellous stories be elucidated, I doubt not."

"I heartily agree with you," said the lady, "and can fulfil your expectation on the spot as to your holy graal. You may remember I told you my story originated in my seeing that, and now in justice I must return to it. The amtman, my friend's husband, was quite inconsolable for the loss of his treasures; for though we had preserved the greater part in safety, yet we had not saved all, for we poor ignorant folks could not appreciate the inestimable value of some of the old pottery; but nothing grieved him so much as the loss of one vessel of inconceivable rarity; and my friend, who was heartily tired of his endless lamentations, wrote to me to get something antique like it for her directly, which might banish from his mind the recollection of his loss. I knew not where to find