The words ran through the halls.  The dancing ceased, and the music paused in the midst of a piece begun, for the Elector himself had risen from his game of cards, and the Electress had called the Princesses from among the dancers.

“The White Lady has been seen in the castle!”

These fearful words, brought to him by his wife, frightened the Elector out of his comfortable mood, and dissipated the cheering effects of the wine.  The White Lady threatened him with death!  The thought filled his whole soul, and made him all at once sober and serious.

“The Lady in White has appeared in the castle,” sighed the Electress, “and my son Frederick William is sick.  I must go to him—­I must go to my son!”

The equipage rolled off to the castle.  The Elector leaned back gloomily in the corner, thinking to himself:  “If I only knew whether she wore white or black gloves!  Perhaps she only means to warn me, perhaps there is yet time to escape the mischief!  The air of Berlin is very bad, and I vex myself too much here.  As we drove up to the castle when we came from Koenigsberg, one of our carriage horses stumbled and fell.  That was an ill omen, and we should have heeded it and turned about immediately.  Perhaps there may yet be time to flee from the threatened evil, if we go back to Koenigsberg!  If I only knew what kind of gloves the White Lady wore!”

“Just tell me what sort of a tale this is about the White Lady?” asked Count Schwarzenberg of his Chamberlain von Lehndorf, after his guests had taken their leave.

“Your excellency, one of the sentinels on duty at the castle to-day came rushing into the palace, and shrieked out wildly and madly:  ’The White Lady!  I have seen the White Lady!  I must speak to the Elector!  I have seen the White Lady!’ I assure your excellency, it was actually terrific to witness the poor man’s fright.  He was pale as death, with tottering knees and trembling in every limb.  I myself felt a cold shudder creep over me, although usually I am neither timid nor superstitious.  But it is such a singular coincidence, that the White Lady should appear on the very day when the Electoral Prince was taken so suddenly ill.”

“Yes, it is a singular coincidence,” said Schwarzenberg, shrugging his shoulders, “and I should like to know the connecting link.  Well, I hope to fathom the mystery, and then the ghost story will resolve itself into a ridiculous reality.  Early to-morrow morning I shall have all the soldiers called up, who were on duty at the castle to-night, and question them myself.  The castellan’s wife, too, must be summoned.  She is an honest woman of bold and sober wits, and from her I shall be best able to learn what is the meaning of this masquerade.  Good-night, Lehndorf, sleep off your fright, you sentimental man, over whom a childish shudder still creeps, whenever he hears a nursery maid’s tale!  I really envy you your implicit faith, you credulous man!  One thing more, though:  what news have we from the Electoral Prince?”