322 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [vi.

before that awful day of retribution. Still, I cared
little for this. The hope and pleasure of my life had
gone by, and I was beginning to feel that the seed I
had sown was bringing up a crop which I had never
expected to reap. I dragged on my wretched exist-
ence in this manner, seldom quitting the castle and
neither hunting nor riding forth on raids as of old.
My only thought was of Christina, although, poor child,
she could never more be gonscious of my continued
care and love.

‘Well, as I have said, the end came at last.
Although she was tended with the greatest devotion by
some of her female domestics, it was impossible that
they could for ever guard her with the same vigi-
lance. One day, deceived by her apparent tranquillity,
they were less watchful than usual, and Christina
escaped from the rooms in which she had been
strictly confined ever since her madness had been
confirmed. The first thing she did was to go to the
banqueting-room where she had last seen her
affianced husband, and where had been enacted the
terrible tragedy which I have described. As the poor
Englander had been buried for some months, she
naturally didn’t find him there, so she sat down and
began to wail and sob upon the very spot where I had
found her with his head in her lap.

‘ After a while her attendants missed her and came
in anxious terror to tell me of her flight. In their
company I sought her, and after an ineffectual search
in the upper part of the house, descended with them
into the banqueting-room and there saw my darling
sitting as I have told you. The moment she saw me