of that time strange noises were again heard in the apartments occupied by the family, which after enduring some weeks subsided, but not as it seemed for ever. Seven years afterwards they again returned. At length, however, the inmates of the Castle became, in some measure, habituated to these disturbances, which invariably returned at stated periods.
From the death of the first possessor of the Castle, the inheritance descended by a regular succession into the hands of the male heir, which did not fail till near the end of the thirty years’ war, when the last branch of the Lauenstein family flourished. In the formation of this person Nature had bestowed her gifts with a sparing hand; and the young Lord Seigmund was remarkable for nothing but an extreme rusticity of manners, and an inordinate share of pride.
Immediately after his succeeding to the estate, following the example of his ancestors, he determined on taking a wife, and no sooner was his intention accomplished than he began to look forward with anxiety to the prospect of an heir to his possessions. In this expectation, however, he was disappointed, for the wished-for child was a daughter; and the frustration of his hopes was so great, that his character at once underwent a complete transformation; and, instead of the parsimony which had formerly marked his disposition, he became at once a prodigal and spendthrift, and acted as if he were determined that his unfortunate daughter should inherit as few of the good things of this world as possible.
In the meantime, the infantine beauty of Emily was fast expanding into the graces of womanhood. Her education had been left solely to the care of her mother, who observed with delight, that her daughter was likely to prove a wit as well as a beauty; and she calculated not a little on the splendid alliance, which such advantages were likely to procure for her child.
No family in all Nogtland, except the Prince of , was, in her opinion, of sufficient antiquity and noble birth to be allied to the last branch of the Lauensteins. When, therefore, the cavaliers of the neighbourhood manifested their desire to pay their respects to the young lady, whose affections they wished to gain, the wary mother gave them such a reception as effectually put a stop to any further intercourse.
Before a suitable match could be found for the fair Emily, a circumstance occurred to frustrate the views of the Countess, and distract her attention from the subject of a matrimonial alliance of any kind. During the disturbances of the war, the army of the brave Wallenstein took up its winter quarters in Nogtland, and the Count Seigmund was obliged to receive many unwelcome guests, who committed more outrages in the Castle than even the refractory nuns, nor were they to be expelled by the same means; and the owner found himself compelled to attend to the comfort of his guests, in order to induce them to preserve discipline among their followers.
Entertainments and balls succeeded each other without intermission; the former were superintended by the Countess, and the arrangements of the latter were left to Emily. The officers were pleased with the hospitality with which they were treated, and their host with the good temper and respect with which they returned it.
Among the visitors were many distinguished warriors, whom Emily
