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you called me by the most vile； abominable name； which heaven
forbid I should repeat！ You dismissed me from your house under a
false accusation。 You sent me to this odious convent to be immured
for life。 Be it so！ I will not come back； because； forsooth； you
relent。 Anything is better than a residence with a wicked； coarse；
violent； intoxicated； brutal monster like yourself。 I remain here
for ever and blush to be obliged to sign myself
〃THEODORA VON GODESBERG。
〃P。S。I hope you do not intend to keep all my best gowns； jewels；
and wearing…apparel； and make no doubt you dismissed me from your
house in order to make way for some vile hussy； whose eyes I would
like to tear out。 T。 V。 G。〃
CHAPTER VII。
THE SENTENCE。
This singular document； illustrative of the passions of women at
all times； and particularly of the manners of the early ages；
struck dismay into the heart of the Margrave。
〃Are her ladyship's insinuations correct？〃 asked the hermit； in a
severe tone。 〃To correct a wife with a cane is a venial； I may say
a justifiable practice； but to fling a bottle at her is ruin both
to the liquor and to her。〃
〃But she sent a carving…knife at me first；〃 said the heartbroken
husband。 〃O jealousy； cursed jealousy； why； why did I ever listen
to thy green and yellow tongue？〃
〃They quarrelled； but they loved each other sincerely；〃 whispered
Sir Ludwig to the hermit： who began to deliver forthwith a lecture
upon family discord and marital authority； which would have sent
his two hearers to sleep； but for the arrival of the second
messenger； whom the Margrave had despatched to Cologne for his son。
This herald wore a still longer face than that of his comrade who
preceded him。
〃Where is my darling？〃 roared the agonized parent。 〃Have ye
brought him with ye？〃
〃Nno；〃 said the man； hesitating。
〃I will flog the knave soundly when he comes；〃 cried the father；
vainly endeavoring； under an appearance of sternness； to hide his
inward emotion and tenderness。
〃Please； your Highness；〃 said the messenger； making a desperate
effort； 〃Count Otto is not at the convent。〃
〃Know ye； knave； where he is？〃
The swain solemnly said； 〃I do。 He is THERE。〃 He pointed as he
spake to the broad Rhine； that was seen from the casement； lighted
up by the magnificent hues of sunset。
〃THERE！ How mean ye THERE？〃 gasped the Margrave； wrought to a
pitch of nervous fury。
〃Alas！ my good lord； when he was in the boat which was to conduct
him to the convent； hehe jumped suddenly from it； and is
drdrowned。〃
〃Carry that knave out and hang him！〃 said the Margrave； with a
calmness more dreadful than any outburst of rage。 〃Let every man
of the boat's crew be blown from the mouth of the cannon on the
towerexcept the coxswain； and let him be〃
What was to be done with the coxswain； no one knows； for at that
moment； and overcome by his emotion； the Margrave sank down
lifeless on the floor。
CHAPTER VIII。
THE CHILDE OF GODESBERG。
It must be clear to the dullest intellect （if amongst our readers
we dare venture to presume that a dull intellect should be found）
that the cause of the Margrave's fainting…fit； described in the
last chapter； was a groundless apprehension on the part of that too
solicitous and credulous nobleman regarding the fate of his beloved
child。 No； young Otto was NOT drowned。 Was ever hero of romantic
story done to death so early in the tale？ Young Otto was NOT
drowned。 Had such been the case； the Lord Margrave would
infallibly have died at the close of the last chapter； and a few
gloomy sentences at its close would have denoted how the lovely
Lady Theodora became insane in the convent； and how Sir Ludwig
determined； upon the demise of the old hermit （consequent upon the
shock of hearing the news）； to retire to the vacant hermitage； and
assume the robe； the beard； the mortifications of the late
venerable and solitary ecclesiastic。 Otto was NOT drowned； and all
those personages of our history are consequently alive and well。
The boat containing the amazed young Countfor he knew not the
cause of his father's anger； and hence rebelled against the unjust
sentence which the Margrave had utteredhad not rowed many miles；
when the gallant boy rallied from his temporary surprise and
despondency； and determined not to be a slave in any convent of any
order： determined to make a desperate effort for escape。 At a
moment when the men were pulling hard against the tide； and Kuno；
the coxswain； was looking carefully to steer the barge between some
dangerous rocks and quicksands which are frequently met with in the
majestic though dangerous river； Otto gave a sudden spring from the
boat； and with one single flounce was in the boiling； frothing；
swirling eddy of the stream。
Fancy the agony of the crew at the disappearance of their young
lord！ All loved him； all would have given their lives for him； but
as they did not know how to swim； of course they declined to make
any useless plunges in search of him； and stood on their oars in
mute wonder and grief。 ONCE； his fair head and golden ringlets
were seen to arise from the water； TWICE； puffing and panting； it
appeared for an instant again； THRICE； it rose but for one single
moment： it was the last chance； and it sunk； sunk； sunk。 Knowing
the reception they would meet with from their liege lord； the men
naturally did not go home to Godesberg； but putting in at the
first creek on the opposite bank； fled into the Duke of Nassau's
territory； where； as they have little to do with our tale； we will
leave them。
But they little knew how expert a swimmer was young Otto。 He had
disappeared； it is true； but why？ because he HAD DIVED。 He
calculated that his conductors would consider him drowned； and the
desire of liberty lending him wings； （or we had rather say FINS； in
this instance；） the gallant boy swam on beneath the water； never
lifting his head for a single moment between Godesberg and Cologne
the distance being twenty…five or thirty miles。
Escaping from observation； he landed on the Deutz side of the
river； repaired to a comfortable and quiet hostel there； saying he
had had an accident from a boat； and thus accounting for the
moisture of his habiliments； and while these were drying before a
fire in his chamber； went snugly to bed； where he mused； not
without amaze； on the strange events of the day。 〃This morning；〃
thought he； 〃a noble； and heir to a princely estatethis evening
an outcast； with but a few bank…notes which my mamma luckily gave
me on my birthday。 What a strange entry into life is this for a
young man of my family！ Well； I have courage and resolution： my
first attempt in life has been a gallant and successful one； other
dangers will be conquered by similar bravery。〃 And recommending
himself； his unhappy mother； and his mistaken father to the care of
their patron saint； Saint Buffo； the gallant…hearted boy fell
presently into such a sleep as only the young； the healthy； the
innocent； and the extremely fatigued can enjoy。
The fatigues of the day （and very few men but would be fatigued
after swimming wellnigh thirty miles under water） caused young Otto
to sleep so profoundly； that he did not remark how； after Friday's
sunset； as a natural consequence； Saturday's Phoebus illumined the
world； ay； and sunk at his appointed hour。 The serving…maidens of
the hostel； peeping in； marked him sleeping； and blessing him for a
pretty youth； tripped lightly from the chamber； the boots tried
haply twice or thrice to call him （as boots will fain）； but the
lovely boy； giving another snore； turned on his side； and was quite
unconscious of the interruption。 In a word； the youth slept for
six…and…thirty hours at an elongation； and the Sunday sun was
shining and the bells of the hundred churches of Cologne were
clinking and tolling in pious festivity； and the burghers and
burgheresses of the town were trooping to vespers and morning
service when Otto awoke。
As he donned his clothes of the richest Genoa velvet； the
astonished boy could not at first account for his difficulty in
putting them on。 〃Marry；〃 said he； 〃these breeches that my blessed
mother〃 （tears filled his fine eyes as he thought of her）〃that my
blessed mother had made long on purpose； are now ten inches too
short for me。 Whir…r…r！ my coat cracks i' the back； as in vain I
try to buckle it round me； and the sleeves reach no farther than my
elbows！ What is this mystery？ Am I grown fat and tall in a single
night？ Ah！ ah！ ah！ ah！ I have it。〃
The young and good…humored Childe laughed merrily。 He bethought
him of the reason of his mistake： his garments had shrunk from
being five…and…twenty miles under water。
But one remedy presented itself to his mind； and that we need not
say was to purchase new ones。 Inquiring