Storting looked in amazement at Egon as he thus calmly asked for news of the Osternau family. "Is it possible, Herr von Ernau," said he, "that you know nothing, positively nothing, of what happened at Castle Osternau scarcely three months after you left it?"
"Such is the case," Egon replied. "When I resolved to begin a new life I rigorously broke with all old associations, and although I could not drive Castle Osternau from my memory, I strictly refrained from informing myself with regard to its inmates. But my finding Wangen and his wife yesterday and seeing you to-day have called up old associations so vividly that I beg you to tell me minutely of every one of the Osternau circle,--of Herr and Frau von Osternau, of Fräulein Lieschen, of my pupil Fritz, even of Lieutenant Albrecht, if you will. I am eager for it all."
Storting gazed sadly at his companion. "Your eagerness to hear, Herr von Ernau, makes it even harder to tell you of the terrible misfortunes that have befallen Castle Osternau and its inmates."
"You amaze and distress me. Is Herr von Osternau not living then?"
"He has been at rest in the graveyard at Osternau for almost four years. I have a sad story to tell you, Herr von Ernau. It all happened in the night of the 18th of November. I had been to Breslau on that day to draw the money to be paid for the Wernewitz and Rudersdorf farms, which Herr von Osternau had bought. I was tired out with travelling in the cold November weather, and of course slept more soundly than usual. In the middle of the night I was wakened by a bright light shining into my face, and I sprang out of bed to find the flames leaping up to my window from the story below. You remember my room was directly above that of Herr and Frau von Osternau. I threw on my clothes and opened my door; the passages were filled with stifling smoke. The fire must have broken out in Herr von Osternau's study adjoining his bedroom, and the lives of himself and his wife were in danger. The staircase was already in flames. My only course was to climb from one of my windows down into the court-yard, which I accomplished successfully, shouting the while at the top of my voice to arouse the servants and labourers from the various farm-buildings. Two grooms, who had rooms in one of the barns, were the first to appear, when suddenly Lieutenant Albrecht stood beside me; whence he had come I could not tell, but he must have been aware of the fire for some time, for he was entirely dressed. The instant I looked at him a terrible suspicion occurred to me. 'Good heavens! what a misfortune!' he said. His face was ghastly pale, and his eyes avoided mine. I made no reply, the urgency was too pressing. Every minute the flames were gaining ground. They had caught the curtains of the open window of my room, and as yet Herr and Frau von Osternau gave no sign of being awakened by them. Had the fire reached their room, or were they already smothered? I rushed to the side-entrance, forgetting that it was always locked at night from within. I found it, however, unfastened, and as I flung it wide open a huge tongue of flame burst from the open door of the study. There was no reaching Herr von Osternau's bedroom by this way, neither could either of its occupants have penetrated through the smoke and flames of the study to gain safety. The only possible way to reach them was from the garden, upon which their bedroom windows opened. Meanwhile all the farm-people were thronging the court-yard; the fire-engine had been dragged from its shed, but there was no one to take the lead there, for Lieutenant Albrecht seemed paralyzed, and I was intent upon saving my good old employers. In the garden I found one window of their bedroom open, and the smoke pouring from it in volumes. I called Herr von Osternau loudly, but there was no reply. Two stout labourers lifted me upon their shoulders, and I leaped thence into the room. Near the window on the floor I found both of those whom I sought, unconscious from the effect of the stifling smoke. I can hardly tell you how we contrived with the help of the gardener's ladder, luckily left leaning against the wall of the house, to lift the unconscious master and mistress of the house through the window into the open air. We carried them immediately to the parsonage in the village, and left them in the care of the pastor and his good wife, while I returned to the burning castle. Here I found the wildest confusion; the peasantry from the neighbouring hamlets had flocked to the scene, women were shrieking, children crying, and through it all the crackling and roaring of the flames made night terrible indeed. The engine had been found useless, and when the men turned to the Lieutenant for counsel he had none to give. He was as one dazed. When I appeared among the terrified people they rushed to me for orders. What could I do? The fire had made terrible headway during my brief absence, there could be no hope of extinguishing it. The wing in which Fräulein Lieschen and Fritz slept was the only part which was as yet untouched by the flames, but they were already stretching hungry tongues towards it.
"'Where are Fräulein Lieschen and Herr Fritzchen?'
"No one answered my question; the men looked at one another in mute horror. All the servants who lodged in the castle had contrived to escape from their rooms unhurt. Some had leaped from the windows, and even old Hildebrandt was in safety, and had gone to the village to do what he could for his beloved master and mistress. Fräulein Lieschen and Fritz were alone missing. 'They are still sleeping, they are lost!' one of the servants wailed. The Lieutenant did not speak, but watched with horror the creeping flames that had already reached the roof of the wing.
"It was high time indeed to try some means of rescue. To enter the castle was impossible, but at my command a dozen willing hands brought two of the long ladders from the engine-house, and just as they were placed against the wall of the house, beneath Fräulein Lieschen's window, the young girl herself, with Fritz by her side, opened it and stood for an instant looking out upon the dreadful scene. The shout that went up from the crowd at sight of her I never shall forget. Two stout men had mounted the ladders in an instant; the young girl opened wide the window, lifted her little brother in her strong young arms, and delivered him to one of her rescuers, then easily climbing on the window-sill she stepped out upon the topmost round of the other ladder, and descended to the ground as lightly as she had been used to do when as a child she had climbed about the barns and granaries.
"All were saved then, but the dear old castle was gone beyond hope of rescue. In the early morning, when I left it again to go to the parsonage, it was a heap of smoking ruins, and but for the direction of the wind, which blew the flames towards the garden, the barns and storehouses would have shared its fate.
"At the parsonage sorrowful tidings awaited me. Frau von Osternau had indeed quickly recovered consciousness; she was now sitting with Lieschen at the bedside of her husband, who was in a most critical condition. The physician gave no hopes of his recovery. He was perfectly conscious, but an inflammation of the lungs had set in, which, in the precarious state of his usual health, could not but be fatal.