a wood at the extremity of the road: I rode with great swiftness towards it, and soon forced my way through the trees, and obtained from their thick foliage a defence against the fury of the storm. In a short time the weather changed, the clouds dispersed, and the moon rose with additional splendour from the contrast of the black clouds rolling off behind the mountains.
Turning our horses to leave the wood, I observed, at some distance, the turrets of a Castle, which, had not the moon shone full upon them, might never have attracted the notice of any traveller, being enveloped in the thickest of the trees, and far from any public road: Curiosity, or a powerful presentiment, urged me to explore this dwelling; Peter sought to dissuade me, he conceived it to be some ruinous place, the residence of a banditti, which was known to infest the Black Forest and its environs. I allowed the probability of his suggestions, yet could not be persuaded to relinquish my design: It was with much reluctance that he followed me;
