Chapter I: Front Matter

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Produced by Annie McGuire. This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print archive.

THE COUNT OF NIDECK

THE COUNT OF NIDECK

ADAPTED FROM THE FRENCH OF ERCKMANN: CHARTRIAN

BY RALPH BROWNING FISKE

ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR A. SEARLES

BOSTON L. C. PAGE & COMPANY INCORPORATED 1897

_Copyright, 1897_ BY L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE SUMMONS TO THE CASTLE 9
II. I MEET THE COUNTESS 37
III. MY FIRST NIGHT IN HUGH'S TOWER 69
IV. KNAPWURST ACQUAINTS ME WITH THE GENEALOGY OF THE NIDECKS 93
V. I BREAKFAST WITH ODILE 120
VI. THE COUNT UNSHEATHES HIS CLAWS 135
VII. MARIE LAGOUTTE RELATES HER EXPERIENCE 160
VIII. SEBALT TRACKS THE PLAGUE 180
IX. THE PLAGUE IN MY CHAMBER.--THE MIDNIGHT SCENE ON THE
ALTENBERG 200
X. I LOSE MY WAY AND PASS THE NIGHT IN THE DWARF'S LODGE 219
XI. I AM SUMMONED TO THE COUNTESS'S CHAMBER, AND MAKE A
CONFESSION 244
XII. WE CHASE THE PLAGUE.--HER DEATH 269
XIII. THE BARON'S STORY.--HE DISAPPEARS 305
XIV. THE BOAR HUNT 324
XV. THE BANQUET.--THE DWARF EXPLAINS THE MYSTERY OF THE
NIDECK HOUSE 351

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
"AND THE COUNT WAS STANDING UPRIGHT ON THE WINDOW-SILL" Frontispiece
"POINTING TO A DARK OBJECT CROUCHING IN THE SNOW" 25
IN THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 115
"'STAY!' HE HOWLED, 'I HAVE NOT CURSED YOU YET'" 145
"'YONDER YOU SEE THE PEAK OF THE ALTENBERG'" 153
"THEN HE WOULD RESUME HIS FRIGHTFUL CRIES" 195
"I RAISED MYSELF ON MY ELBOW AND STARED FEARFULLY IN
THE DIRECTION" 203
"I STEPPED FORWARD, AND FOUND MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF ODILE" 248
"ODILE DROPPED HER EYES" 315
"I FELL UPON MY KNEE BEFORE THE BRUTE" 345