Explore "The Burgrave's Farewell" by Egerton Castle on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
"_ -- What means this, my lord? _ _ -- Marry, this is miching mallecho; it means mischief._" (_Hamlet_).
Countess Betty had the megrims and declined to appear at supper. For a sufferer, however, she had a bright eye, and she moved about her room with the alacrity of a busy bird. She was alone, some belated notion of prudence having bade her dismiss her handmaiden during the final preparation. Her eyes were taking in wistfully the dimensions of the small travelling-bag (which was all that, in conscience, she could allow herself, since Cousin Kielmansegg would have to carry it himself down the precipitous roads) and the numberless objects which, at the last moment, seemed to her indispensable, when there came a tap at her window. She started -- and only the sense of unacknowledged guilt weighing on her soul kept her from screaming aloud for help -- when she perceived, pressed against the uncurtained pane, a man's face. The next instant, however, she had recognized the wandering fiddler. She hurried towards him.