bottle of right Rhenish simmering in the pan, and a glass of Kirschenwasser ready filled, as if by absolute inspiration! Enter, enter, my gallant traveller; and, if you find a better supper and a softer bed between the Rhine and the sea, never trust again to the word of Kunz Weiner."

They were speedily seated by a fire glowing with all the rosy good-humour that lit up the face of mine host; and Carl, while preparations were making for supper, threw around him a look of languid curiosity.

The first thing that struck him was the extreme strength of the windows. Its numerous panes of glass were singularly small, and the wooden bars between so thick as to give the apartment a dungeon-like appearance, that must have been still more apparent in the day-time. It seemed also as if the curtains (not a usual appendage at all in an inn of this class) were drawn with more than common precision; a view of one of the windows being afforded only by the drapery being caught accidentally by the host's foot as he passed, who immediately stopped to adjust it with a care that seemed superfluous. This awakened at once the drowsy attention of our adventurer; and when, the next moment, he saw an immense head raised above the horizon of the opposite table, behind which its wearer appeared to be stretched upon a bench, he started almost in alarm.

The matted locks of this apparition, thick, black, and greasy, hung over his low brow and sunken eyes; while huge whiskers to correspond, and a hideous beard, at least a foot in length, completed the framework of a face, of which the heavy, lumpish features conveyed an idea of brutality, unredeemed by a single ray of intelligence. Carl's heart sickened beneath the dull, sullen glare with which the stranger looked at him for more than a minute, and he felt a sensation of relief when the meaningless orbs sunk slowly into their sockets, and the shaggy head disappeared behind the table, resuming its recumbent position, with a sound, half growl half groan. Kunz Weiner appeared to notice the expression of his guest's countenance, and to be vexed that the hilarity,

which it was his business to promote, should be disturbed by such a circumstance.

"Dull beast," grumbled he to himself, "now will he wallow here till day-break, if his neighbours do not come to fetch him with a hand-barrow. By this cup of Rhenish-hot, spiced, and creaming for very richness, -he is not worth the Kirschenwasser that turns him from a man into a hog!"

"You lie, Kunz!" cried the object of this soliloquy, in a voice which mingled the croak of the raven with the grunt of the animal, to which he had been likened ; "you know you lie, you walking wine-skin! for I am never sleepy and stupid but when athirst. Had I but as much spirit in me now as dwells in the cup of Rhenish you brag of, by the Three Kings of Cologne, I would tap that portly barrel of yours with my dagger!"

"To bed, Peter!" said the host, losing temper, yet lowering his voice; "to bed, Peter Schwarz, or you know what must happen!"

"To bed! Thunder and devils! why to bed before I have done my work? Answer me that, you lying knave. Come, come, let us have no more slumbering. What is it to be, for I am ready. Here you have kept me beastly sober for at least twelve hours at a stretch, and I'd as lief be a toad pent up in a rock of the HoheWald !"

"There, there, in God's name!" said the host hurriedly, and in apparent alarm, "there is drink," and he poured nearly a quart of ardent spirits into an earthen jug. Go, drink, and be drunk-go, roll and wallow -go to the devil if you will, so that you leave the room !"

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Peter Schwarz-or, when done into English, Peter the Black-straightway gathered himself up from the bench, and displaying a tall, ill-shaped, ungainly figure, shambled round the table, and clutching the jug, was about to raise it to his lips.

"Not, here, you unmannerly knave," cried Kunz Weiner. "To your stye, sir! from which you budge not, if there be virtue in lock and key, till your friends

come to take charge of you." Peter wheeled slowly about without a word, and walked away, with the half fierce, half sullen air of a bullock; but when he reached the door

"I owe you a turn for this, master tapster," said he, twisting his head round his shoulder, and fixing his meaningless eyes upon mine host; "only wait till I be drunk enough!" and he went out followed cautiously by his gaoler.

"Let us fly," said Magdalene, starting up from her stupefaction" It will be impossible for them to find us in the dark."

"The door is bolted and locked," replied Carl, calmly, "and the key at the girdle of the landlord. Draw your veil still closer; lean your head upon the table, and affect to sleep. If our suspicions turn out to be correct, which I shall presently ascertain, it will be time enough to turn to bay. Peter Schwarz is by this time in safe durance; the landlord will be alone with us in the room; and him I could slay as easily and suddenly as a fatted calf."

CHAPTER VI.

THE OLD ADAGE OF THE FRYING PAN AND THE FIRE.

When Kunz Weiner returned to his guests, every trace of discontent had vanished from his smooth brow and laughter-loving eyes.

"That dose," said he, "will set him to sleep for twelve hours, and then he will be a new man. Our friend Peter is a very good child, but he has this oddity, that whenever taken in his cups, he imagines himself to be deadly sober. And now to our own affairs. By what road, in the name of all the saints, did you travel through the storm that some hours ago shook the whole country ?"

"We are from Treves, by the Hohe-Wald."

Kunz

started, and looked strangely at the guest, examining him from head to foot with his eye.

"And how did you get here?" said he, in a tone of strong curiosity.

"We crossed the forest."

"Oho! Is it so ?" and the quick glance of Carl Benzel detected his fingers at work in some masonic signal.

Come," said the traveller, "let us waste no more time. Are not you Kunz Weiner, of the Fig Tree ?" "Were there any birds stirring ?" asked the cautious host.

"Plenty of owls."

"Did you meet any friends on the road?”
"No; I was on special business."

"Where, if I may be so bold?”

"At the next mill."*

"Oho! Is it so ?" said Kunz Weiner again, and peering round his back, he discovered the guitar"What, you are on a visit to old Moritz?"

Carl nodded.

"I see, I see. He loves a good song with all his heart, and a glass too, for that matter, bumper high. Poor old Moritz! there is no man I would sooner do business with in all the valley. But I wonder they never told me a word about the minstrel-ha! ha! it is a capital joke. Zounds!" he continued in a whisper, "how came they to order me to provide one of those noisy ramst, if they had already engaged more Christian-like music?"

"You forget, my friend," replied Carl, whispering also, and pointing warningly to Magdalene, "that there is no answering for the course of events; the ram may

* The mills, on account of their solitary situation, and the reputed wealth of the millers, were the frequent objects of attack; and for the same reason were so well fortified that they formed a favourite place of refuge for suspicious travellers.

A long and heavy piece of wood which is used for battering down doors.

have its turn for aught I know, and the solo be changed into a duet."

"Ha! ha! you are a wag. But why the murrain were you so reserved? Did you doubt the old kochemermann ?* Did you think you had to do with a schleichener?"†

"No, no; but I am a young hand, and we cannot be too cautious. In the meantime I want you to lend me a horse, and show me the way."

"What! Do you not know the kochemeresink ?‡ But I forgot: these will be unnecessary in this case, the house being so well known; and at all events, you, I take it, are the first."

"Whether first or last, I tell you, I am but a young hand, and of course afraid of failure in my mission. To avoid that, the best way is to set out betimes; and SO I pray you, Kunz Weiner, speed me my errand, and let me begone."

"Presently, presently," replied Kunz; "but I want to ask you a question," and he drew him still farther away from Magdalene, and put his lips to his ear.

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Pray," said he, "do you know who the two travellers are who came to my house this evening, and are now in bed, and asleep?"

66 No; how should I?"

"You might have heard who were expected; and for my part, I would give my ears to know. They are a cavalier and a young lady, I think the handsomest couple I ever saw in my life; and they rode up to the door so gallantly, and called out so proudly, that my heart warmed to them the moment I set eyes upon them. If you are to lose purse or life, said I to myself, under the roof of Kunz Weiner, I pledge myself solemnly that it shall be taken in a friendly and agreeable manner.

"Can I see them ?" said Carl, whose interest was powerfully awakened.

*The keeper of one of those houses, generally inns, which served for the rendezvous or refuge of the robbers.

↑ A traitor.

The marks made on the road by the advanced guard of the robbers to indicate the way to the rest.