arriving at the castle, found so much there to arrange, which had long been, of necessity, delayed and neglected, that his active mind was at no loss for a proper sphere of exertion. Notwithstanding this, however, he was attacked, after some time, by an illness, which, from the commencement, the physicians declared to be dangerous. He followed the regimen which they prescribed, and avoided encountering too much fatigue either of mind or body,—yet without entertaining, himself, any hopes of recovery. ‘Seraphina,’ he now said, ‘was correct in two of her prophecies—for the third time, also, there is no doubt, that she will prove in the right!’ I was dreadfully agitated when I discovered, that, according to his own belief, death would soon overtake him. A change, every day for the worse, became obvious—he was confined to bed, and one evening desired to speak with me alone. ‘Experience,’ said he, in a feeble struggling voice, ‘has at length put an end to my disbelief. The ninth hour of this night is, according to Seraphina’s divination, to be the hour of my death; and, therefore, my dear child, I have a few
