The Daughter of an Empress

And, without waiting for an answer from the regent, the old man,

groaning, tottered out of the room.

"Thank Heaven that he is gone!" said Anna, drawing a long breath when

the door closed behind him. "This old ghost-seer has tormented me for

months with his strange vagaries, which weigh upon his soul like the

nightmare! Happily, thy letter, my beloved, has filled my whole heart

with the ecstasy of joy, else would his dark and foolish prophecies be

sufficient to sadden me."

Thus speaking, the princess again drew Count Lynar's letter from her

bosom and pressed it to her lips. Then she called her women to dress her

for the ball.