“There are more things in heaven and earth, Voracio,” said his arch entertainer, when he put this question to her, “than are dreamt of in your philosophy:”  and, sooth to say, the archer was by this time in such a state, that he did not find anything wonderful more.

“Are you happy, dear youth?” said the lady, as, after his collation, he sank back in his chair.

“Oh, miss, ain’t I?” was his interrogative and yet affirmative reply.

“Should you like such a supper every night, Wolfgang?” continued the pale one.

“Why, no,” said he; “no, not exactly; not every night:  Some nights I should like oysters.”

“Dear youth,” said she, “be but mine, and you may have them all the year round!” The unhappy boy was too far gone to suspect anything, otherwise this extraordinary speech would have told him that he was in suspicious company.  A person who can offer oysters all the year round can live to no good purpose.

“Shall I sing you a song, dear archer?” said the lady.

“Sweet love!” said he, now much excited, “strike up, and I will join the chorus.”

She took down her mandolin, and commenced a ditty.  ’Twas a sweet and wild one.  It told how a lady of high lineage cast her eyes on a peasant page; it told how nought could her love assuage, her suitor’s wealth and her father’s rage:  it told how the youth did his foes engage; and at length they went off in the Gretna stage, the high-born dame and the peasant page.  Wolfgang beat time, waggled his head, sung wofully out of tune as the song proceeded; and if he had not been too intoxicated with love and other excitement, he would have remarked how the pictures on the wall, as the lady sung, began to waggle their heads too, and nod and grin to the music.  The song ended.  “I am the lady of high lineage:  Archer, will you be the peasant page?”

“I’ll follow you to the devil!” said Wolfgang.

“Come,” replied the lady, glaring wildly on him, “come to the chapel; we’ll be married this minute!”

She held out her hand—­Wolfgang took it.  It was cold, damp,—­deadly cold; and on they went to the chapel.

As they passed out, the two pictures over the wall, of a gentleman and lady, tripped lightly out of their frames, skipped noiselessly down to the ground, and making the retreating couple a profound curtsy and bow, took the places which they had left at the table.

Meanwhile the young couple passed on towards the chapel, threading innumerable passages, and passing through chambers of great extent.  As they came along, all the portraits on the wall stepped out of their frames to follow them.  One ancestor, of whom there was only a bust, frowned in the greatest rage, because, having no legs, his pedestal would not move; and several sticking-plaster profiles of the former Lords of Windeck looked quite black at being, for similar reasons, compelled to keep their places.  However, there was a goodly procession formed behind Wolfgang and his bride; and by the time they reached the church, they had near a hundred followers.