said Herr Bantes, "else the first devilry of the Spectre Guest, in Herbesheim, will make us fast all Sunday."

Frederika bounded away into the kitchen, exclaiming, "It shall not come to such a pass as that." 1

"These are the fruits of superstition," said Herr Bantes. "This is all they know, up and down, from the groom to the prime minister.

When I die I leave ten thousand guilders2 to maintain a teacher in the schools, to hammer reason into the people. What with 3 their insane notions about goblins, devils, spectre guests, and so forth, the world has become no better than a great madhouse, and each separate country a den for slavery, wherein one-half of the people suffer extortion, while the other half are armed with musket and cannon to force obedience."

While Herr Bantes ran on after this fashion, thundering, and roaring, and pacing up and down the apartment, and stopping occasionally, the book-keeper slipped softly in. "It is all true, Herr Bantes."

"What is all true?"

"He is here. He has put up at the Black Cross." "Who is here? Who has put up at the Black Cross?" "The Spectre Guest."

"Stuff! Are you, who are a reasonable man, going to believe all that the old women tell you?"

"But my eyes are no old wom.en.

I went to the Black Cross out of curiosity; the clerk of the court was, so to speak, my conductor. We took a glass of liquor together as a pretext; then he sat down."

"Who sat down?"

"I knew him on the spot! The host appeared to know him too; for when it 5 went out of the door, he

1 Les choses n'en viendront pas la (or, à ce point); or, Nous n'en viendrons pas là. See page 59, note 6

florins (monnaie hollandaise et allemande).

3What with ;' turn, 'With

all.'

4 sur-le-champ. 5 the spectre; the use of it, here, after using 'he' and 'him' so much before, to designate the same person, though adopted for avoiding ambiguity, has something very awkward about it.

looked at the clerk, as much as to say, 'that means no good." "1

"Tol-de-rol-lol!"

"2

"The gate-keeper knew him at the gate, and made off upon the instant to the lieutenant of police. He told us all about it as we came out of the Black Cross together." "The gate-keeper is a superstitious ass. He should be ashamed in his very soul."

4

"It is all very well; 3 but permit me to observe, that, if it be not the Spectre Guest, it is his twin brother. A pale face; in raven black from head to heel; a figure some four or five ells long; a triple chain of gold across his breast; diamonds sparkling on his fingers; a handsome equipage; extra post-horses."

Herr Bantes' countenance assumed an expression in which disbelief and astonishment struggled for the mastery. At length he burst into an immoderate fit of laughter, and exclaimed: "It appears, then, that the devil carries on his jokes among us exactly on the first Sunday in Advent?"

"Aye, and exactly during divine service, too," said the book-keeper; "just as the people were struggling through the streets, while the wind and rain were at the worst." 5

"What is the stranger called?" inquired Herr Bantes. "I do not know," replied the book-keeper; "but name or no name, it is all the same.6 At one time he is the Earl of Graves; at another,7 Count Altenkreuz. Is it not altogether ominous, too, that he should stop at the Black Cross, of all other places?"

“The name appears made for him on purpose."

A

Herr Bantes remained silent and thoughtful; then drew his hand over his face, and said: "It is all chance. wonderful concurrence of circumstances. Let us not think of it. A Spectre Guest, forsooth! Stuff! Mere accident,

I say; a droll joke! Exactly on Advent Sunday, in horrible weather; long, black, pale; diamond rings on his fingers, and then his equipage. I would not believe a word of it, book-keeper, if you were not a reasonable man. It is not so bad.1 You heard the story of the Spectre Guest; saw a stranger who had black clothes on ; when whoo! your unbridled imagination plays

you false,3 and supplies all that is wanting."

Thus matters remained. Herr Bantes was not to be persuaded.-(MISS MITFORD, Country Stories.)

TOWN versus COUNTRY.4

HAVING sent his comrade off, William Howe, leaving his steeds quietly browsing by the wayside, bent his steps towards home. Susan advanced rapidly to meet him; and in a few seconds, the brother and sister were in each other's arms; and, after most affectionate greetings, they sat down, by mutual consent, upon a piece of felled timber which lay upon the bank, the lane on one side being bounded by an old coppice, and began to ask each other the thousand questions so interesting to the children of one house who have been long parted.

Seldom, surely, has the rough and rugged bark of an unhewed elm had the honour of supporting so perfect an exquisite.5 Jem Hathaway, the exciseman, had in nothing exaggerated the magnificence of our young Londoner. From shoes which looked as if they had come from Paris in the ambassador's bag, to the curled head, and the whiskered and mustachio'd countenance, (for the hat, which should have been the crown of the finery, was wanting, probably in consequence of the recent over

1 Voici (page 97, note 8) tout simplement la chose.

'before

. crac (in a second! you could say Jack Robinson,' whoo!').

3 vous abuse.

4 La Ville contre la Campagne. 5 élégaré.

6 Lonaonnien (but London' is Londres.

3

turn), from top to toe he looked fit for a ball at Almack's or a fête at Bridgewater House: and, oh! how unsuited to1 the old-fashioned homestead at Rutherford West! His trousers 2 were of the finest materials; his coat was claret colour of the latest cut; his waistcoat-talk of the great peacock, he would have seemed dingy and dusky beside such a splendour of colour!-his waistcoat literally dazzled poor Susan's eyes; and his rings, and chains, and studs, and brooches, seemed, to the wondering girl, almost sufficient to stock a jeweller's shop.

In spite of all this nonsense, it was clear to her, from every look and word, that she was not mistaken in believing William unchanged in mind and disposition, and that there was a warm and a kind heart beating under the finery. Moreover, she felt, that if the unseemly magnificence could once be thrown aside, the whiskers and mustachios cleared away, and his fine manly person reinstated in the rustic costume in which she had been accustomed to see him, her brother would then appear greatly improved in face and figure, taller, more vigorous, and with an expression of intelligence and frankness delightful to behold. But how to get quit of the finery, and the Frenchman, and the britschka? Or how reconcile her father to iniquities so far surpassing even the smell of musk?

William, on his part, regarded his sister with unqualified admiration. He had left a laughing blooming girl he found a delicate and lovely young woman-all the more lovely for the tears that mingled with her smiles, true tokens of a most pure affection.

"And you really are glad to see me, Susy? And my father is well? And here is the old place, looking just as it used to do;5 house, and ricks, and barnyard, not quite in sight, but one feels that one shall see them at the next turning the great coppice, right opposite, looking thicker and greener than ever!—how often we have gone nutting in that coppice!—the tall holly at the gate, with the woodbine climbing up and twisting its sweet garlands

1 mais aussi, combien cette toilette Stait peu en harmonie avec. 2 See page 147 note 15.

3 étoffe.

4 va; or, se porte.

5 Simply, 'as formerly.'

round the very topmost spray, like a coronet. Many a time and often have I climbed the holly to twine the Launting wreath round your straw-bonnet, Miss Susy. And here, on the other side of the hedge, is the very field where Hector and Harebell ran1 their famous course, and gave their hare fifty turns before they killed her, without ever letting her get out of the stubble. Those were pleasant days, Susan, after all!"

"Happy days, dear William !"

66

"And we shall go nutting again, shall we not?"3 'Surely, dear brother! Only" and Susan suddenly stopped.

"Only what, Miss Susy?"

66

Only I don't see how you can possibly go into the copse in this dress. Think how the brambles would prick and tear, and how that chain would catch in the hazel stems! and as to climbing the holly tree in that fine tight coat, or beating the stubbles for a hare in those delicate thin shoes, why the thing is out of the question. And I really don't believe," continued Susan, finding it easier to go on than to begin, "I really don't believe that either Hector or Harebell would know you if they saw you so decked out."

William laughed outright."

6

"I don't mean to go coursing in these shoes, I assure you, Susy. This is an evening dress. I have a shootingjacket and all thereunto belonging in the britschka, which will not puzzle either Harebell or Hector, because it's just what they have been used to see me wear."

"Put it on, then, I beseech you!" exclaimed Susy; "put it on directly!"

"Why, I am not going coursing this evening."

"No-but my father! Oh! dear William, if you did but know how he hates finery, and foreigners, and whiskers

1 Use faire; or rather, as fare comes twice just below, construct thus, where took place the famous course of H-and of H-.'

2 firent faire à (page 108, note 1).

3 See page 72, note 14,

4 Simply, 'how it will be possible for you to go.' See page 39, note 5, and page 43, noteo. 5 avec.

6 il ne faut pas même y penser. 7 partit d'un grand éclat de rire.