And therefore he still remained invisible, and hastened onwards, keeping still a little way before her; so that when the fair pilgrim reached the end of the plantation, and emerged into the open plain, she descried him crossing the path at some distance, as if totally unaware of her approach.
Amabel gave a cry of joy, called him by his name, and flew to join him.
—“Is it you, my fair dame?” answered Wolfenrad. “What would you with me?”—and he stopped, as waiting for her to come up to him.
—“Oh! tell me! tell me! give me some tidings of the damsel of Sargans!”—
—“You have been to Engelberg, and surely must have heard more there, than I am able to tell you.”—
“Oh! no, no, no! Emmeline! speak of Emmeline!”—
—“Why, the Lady Emmeline.... Concealment being absolutely necessary.... But we are close to your jealous brother’s house, and he may take offence at our conference—Farewell! I must find an opportunity of communicating what I know unobserved, when I return from Uri.”—
“From Uri? Heavens! and when do you go thither, and how long shall you remain away?”—
—“I set out to-morrow; as to my stay, I fear the disturbances there will make my return very distant.”—
Amabel’s impatience to know something decisive respecting her friend now grew beyond all bounds. She entreated him at least to put it out of doubt that Emmeline had been saved from the flames, and hesitated not to follow him into a bye-path, which conducted to the Castle. As they passed along, the deceiver began a long and wonderful narrative of Emmeline’s adventures, which occupied his auditor’s whole attention; but as it contained not one syllable of truth, it would be superfluous to relate it here.