Some apologies which Edward offered on account of his intrusion, were silenced in a moment.

“Come, now, Lieutenant,” said the Baron, “I must introduce you to my family.  You are not such a stranger to us, as you fancy.”

With these words he took Edward by the arm, and, lighted by the servant, they passed through several lofty rooms, which were very handsomely furnished, although in an old-fashioned style, with faded Flemish carpets, large chandeliers, and high-backed chairs:  everything in keeping with what the youth had already seen in the castle.  Here were the ladies of the house.  At the other end of the room, by the side of an immense stove, ornamented with a large shield of the family arms, richly emblazoned, and crowned by a gigantic Turk, in a most comfortable attitude of repose sat the lady of the house, an elderly matron of tolerable circumference, in a gown of dark red satin, with a black mantle and a snow-white cap.  She appeared to be playing cards with the chaplain, who sat opposite to her at the table, and the Baron Friedenberg to have made the third hand at ombre, till he was called away to welcome his guest.  On the other side of the room were two young ladies, an elder person, who might be a governess, and a couple of children, very much engrossed by a game at lotto.

As Edward entered, the ladies rose to greet him, a chair was placed for him near the mistress of the house, and very soon a cup of chocolate and a bottle of tokay were served on a rich silver salver, to restore the traveler after the cold and discomfort of his drive:  in fact it was easy for him to feel that these “far away” people were by no means displeased at his arrival.  An agreeable conversation soon began among all parties.  His travels, the shooting-match, the neighborhood, agriculture, all afforded subjects, and in a quarter of an hour Edward felt as if he had long been domesticated with these simple but truly well-informed people.

Two hours flew swiftly by, and then a bell sounded for supper; the servants returned with lights, announced that the supper was on the table, and lighted the company into the dining-room—­the same into which Edward had first been ushered.  Here, in the background, some other characters appeared on the scene—­the agent, a couple of his subalterns, and the physician.  The guests ranged themselves round the table.  Edward’s place was between the Baron and his wife.  The chaplain said a short grace, when the Baroness, with an uneasy look, glanced at her husband over Edward’s shoulder, and said, in a low whisper—­

“My love, we are thirteen—­that will never do.”

The Baron smiled, beckoned to the youngest of the clerks, and whispered to him.  The youth bowed, and withdrew.  The servant took the cover away, and served his supper in the next room.

“My wife,” said Friedenberg, “is superstitious, as all mountaineers are.  She thinks it unlucky to dine thirteen.  It certainly has happened twice (whether from chance or not who can tell?) that we have had to mourn the death of an acquaintance who had, a short time before, made the thirteenth at our table.”