“I remember this last story very well myself,” said Count Schwarzenberg, with a peculiar smile.  “His Electoral Grace was very much shocked by the apparition, and its appearance was supposed to announce years of terrible war, for no one in the Electoral family died.  Now tell me, Mrs. Culwin, at what time did the White Lady appear yesterday, and how was she dressed?”

“Your excellency, I can not say exactly, for I did not see her yesterday.  The soldiers however, and watchmen, too, affirm that she was dressed entirely in white, which betokens the death of a person of high rank.”

“You did not see the White Lady yesterday, then?  I think she always passes through your room, Mrs. Culwin?”

“She took another route this time, and something quite unusual happened:  she even appeared outside of the castle, for the soldiers maintain that she passed before their windows, and the watchman, who was just making his round, swears that he also saw a white figure glide past the wall.  It seems that this time the White Lady came from the Spree side.  She did not enter the great corridor at all, but repaired immediately to the Prince’s apartments.  The sentinel says she went in, and that he distinctly heard the door creak and shut as she passed through.”

“Formerly no opening or shutting of doors was to be heard, was there?” asked the count.

“No, your excellency, I never heard anything of the kind, and it always seemed to me as if the door opened not at all, and as if the White Lady vanished like mist.”

“And she only visited the Prince’s apartments?  Do you know who was there?”

“Nobody but the Electoral Prince and his valet, I hear. I myself was not at home when the event occurred.  Your excellency’s stewardess had invited me to assist her in preparing yesterday’s feast, and I only returned in haste as soon as it was rumored that the White Lady was abroad in the castle.”

“But you have surely seen and questioned the Prince’s valet?”

“He is the only man in the castle who can not be approached with good or evil words, your excellency, and who brooks not being questioned.  Of course, I tried questioning him about the White Lady, but his only answer was that he had seen nothing, and did not believe in ghost stories.  He only knew that his dear young Prince was sick, and he troubled himself about nothing else.”

“He is still sick then, the Electoral Prince?” asked Count Schwarzenberg with indifference.  “Has he not slept off his intoxication yet?”

“Most gracious sir, I do not believe that it was intoxication, else surely the Prince would be well to-day!  But he is not at all better, and the Electress, who visited her son early this morning, broke forth into loud weeping when she saw him, for he must look just like a corpse.”

“Did he recognize the Electress?  Did he speak to her?”