aim；　allowing　for　the　wind　and　calculating　the　parabola　to　a
  nicety。　　Whiz！　his　arrow　went　off。
  He　took　up　the　willow…twig　again　and　began　carving　a　head　of　Rudolf
  at　the　other　end；　chatting　and　laughing；　and　singing　a　ballad　the
  while。
  The　archers；　after　standing　a　long　time　looking　skywards　with　their
  noses　in　the　air；　at　last　brought　them　down　from　the　perpendicular
  to　the　horizontal　position；　and　said；　〃Pooh；　this　lad　is　a　humbug！
  The　arrow's　lost；　let's　go！〃
  〃HEADS！〃　cried　Otto；　laughing。　　A　speck　was　seen　rapidly　descending
  from　the　heavens；　it　grew　to　be　as　big　as　a　crown…piece；　then　as　a
  partridge；　then　as　a　tea…kettle；　and　flop！　down　fell　a　magnificent
  heron　to　the　ground；　flooring　poor　Max　in　its　fall。
  〃Take　the　arrow　out　of　his　eye；　Wolfgang；〃　said　Otto；　without
  looking　at　the　bird：　〃wipe　it　and　put　it　back　into　my　quiver。〃
  The　arrow　indeed　was　there；　having　penetrated　right　through　the
  pupil。
  〃Are　you　in　league　with　Der　Freischutz？〃　said　Rudolf；　quite　amazed。
  Otto　laughingly　whistled　the　〃Huntsman's　Chorus；〃　and　said；　〃No；　my
  friend。　　It　was　a　lucky　shot：　only　a　lucky　shot。　　I　was　taught
  shooting；　look　you；　in　the　fashion　of　merry　England；　where　the
  archers　are　archers　indeed。〃
  And　so　he　cut　off　the　heron's　wing　for　a　plume　for　his　hat；　and　the
  archers　walked　on；　much　amazed；　and　saying；　〃What　a　wonderful
  country　that　merry　England　must　be！〃
  Far　from　feeling　any　envy　at　their　comrade's　success；　the　jolly
  archers　recognized　his　superiority　with　pleasure；　and　Wolfgang　and
  Rudolf　especially　held　out　their　hands　to　the　younker；　and　besought
  the　honor　of　his　friendship。　　They　continued　their　walk　all　day；
  and　when　night　fell　made　choice　of　a　good　hostel　you　may　be　sure；
  where　over　beer；　punch；　champagne；　and　every　luxury；　they　drank　to
  the　health　of　the　Duke　of　Cleves；　and　indeed　each　other's　healths
  all　round。　　Next　day　they　resumed　their　march；　and　continued　it
  without　interruption；　except　to　take　in　a　supply　of　victuals　here
  and　there　（and　it　was　found　on　these　occasions　that　Otto；　young　as
  he　was；　could　eat　four　times　as　much　as　the　oldest　archer　present；
  and　drink　to　correspond）；　and　these　continued　refreshments　having
  given　them　more　than　ordinary　strength；　they　determined　on　making
  rather　a　long　march　of　it；　and　did　not　halt　till　after　nightfall　at
  the　gates　of　the　little　town　of　Windeck。
  What　was　to　be　done？　the　town…gates　were　shut。　　〃Is　there　no
  hostel；　no　castle　where　we　can　sleep？〃　asked　Otto　of　the　sentinel
  at　the　gate。　　〃I　am　so　hungry　that　in　lack　of　better　food　I　think　I
  could　eat　my　grandmamma。〃
  The　sentinel　laughed　at　this　hyperbolical　expression　of　hunger；　and
  said；　〃You　had　best　go　sleep　at　the　Castle　of　Windeck　yonder；〃
  adding　with　a　peculiarly　knowing　look；　〃Nobody　will　disturb　you
  there。〃
  At　that　moment　the　moon　broke　out　from　a　cloud；　and　showed　on　a
  hill　hard　by　a　castle　indeedbut　the　skeleton　of　a　castle。　　The
  roof　was　gone；　the　windows　were　dismantled；　the　towers　were
  tumbling；　and　the　cold　moonlight　pierced　it　through　and　through。
  One　end　of　the　building　was；　however；　still　covered　in；　and　stood
  looking　still　more　frowning；　vast；　and　gloomy；　even　than　the　other
  part　of　the　edifice。
  〃There　is　a　lodging；　certainly；〃　said　Otto　to　the　sentinel；　who
  pointed　towards　the　castle　with　his　bartizan；　〃but　tell　me；　good
  fellow；　what　are　we　to　do　for　a　supper？〃
  〃Oh；　the　castellan　of　Windeck　will　entertain　you；〃　said　the　man…at…
  arms　with　a　grin；　and　marched　up　the　embrasure；　the　while　the
  archers；　taking　counsel　among　themselves；　debated　whether　or　not
  they　should　take　up　their　quarters　in　the　gloomy　and　deserted
  edifice。
  〃We　shall　get　nothing　but　an　owl　for　supper　there；〃　said　young
  Otto。　　〃Marry；　lads；　let　us　storm　the　town；　we　are　thirty　gallant
  fellows；　and　I　have　heard　the　garrison　is　not　more　than　three
  hundred。〃　　But　the　rest　of　the　party　thought　such　a　way　of　getting
  supper　was　not　a　very　cheap　one；　and；　grovelling　knaves；　preferred
  rather　to　sleep　ignobly　and　without　victuals；　than　dare　the　assault
  with　Otto；　and　die；　or　conquer　something　comfortable。
  One　and　all　then　made　their　way　towards　the　castle。　　They　entered
  its　vast　and　silent　halls；　frightening　the　owls　and　bats　that　fled
  before　them　with　hideous　hootings　and　flappings　of　wings；　and
  passing　by　a　multiplicity　of　mouldy　stairs；　dank　reeking　roofs；　and
  rickety　corridors；　at　last　came　to　an　apartment　which；　dismal　and
  dismantled　as　it　was；　appeared　to　be　in　rather　better　condition
  than　the　neighboring　chambers；　and　they　therefore　selected　it　as
  their　place　of　rest　for　the　night。　　They　then　tossed　up　which
  should　mount　guard。　　The　first　two　hours　of　watch　fell　to　Otto；　who
  was　to　be　succeeded　by　his　young　though　humble　friend　Wolfgang；
  and；　accordingly；　the　Childe　of　Godesberg；　drawing　his　dirk；　began
  to　pace　upon　his　weary　round；　while　his　comrades；　by　various
  gradations　of　snoring；　told　how　profoundly　they　slept；　spite　of
  their　lack　of　supper。
  'Tis　needless　to　say　what　were　the　thoughts　of　the　noble　Childe　as
  he　performed　his　two　hours'　watch；　what　gushing　memories　poured
  into　his　full　soul；　what　〃sweet　and　bitter〃　recollections　of　home
  inspired　his　throbbing　heart；　and　what　manly　aspirations　after　fame
  buoyed　him　up。　　〃Youth　is　ever　confident；〃　says　the　bard。　　Happy；
  happy　season！　　The　moonlit　hours　passed　by　on　silver　wings；　the
  twinkling　stars　looked　friendly　down　upon　him。　　Confiding　in　their
  youthful　sentinel；　sound　slept　the　valorous　toxophilites；　as　up　and
  down；　and　there　and　back　again；　marched　on　the　noble　Childe。　　At
  length　his　repeater　told　him；　much　to　his　satisfaction；　that　it　was
  half…past　eleven；　the　hour　when　his　watch　was　to　cease；　and　so；
  giving　a　playful　kick　to　the　slumbering　Wolfgang；　that　good…humored
  fellow　sprung　up　from　his　lair；　and；　drawing　his　sword；　proceeded
  to　relieve　Otto。
  The　latter　laid　him　down　for　warmth's　sake　on　the　very　spot　which
  his　comrade　had　left；　and　for　some　time　could　not　sleep。　　Realities
  and　visions　then　began　to　mingle　in　his　mind；　till　he　scarce　knew
  which　was　which。　　He　dozed　for　a　minute；　then　he　woke　with　a　start；
  then　he　went　off　again；　then　woke　up　again。　　In　one　of　these　half…
  sleeping　moments　he　thought　he　saw　a　figure；　as　of　a　woman　in
  white；　gliding　into　the　room；　and　beckoning　Wolfgang　from　it。　　He
  looked　again。　　Wolfgang　was　gone。　　At　that　moment　twelve　o'clock
  clanged　from　the　town；　and　Otto　started　up。
  CHAPTER　IX。
  THE　LADY　OF　WINDECK。
  As　the　bell　with　iron　tongue　called　midnight；　Wolfgang　the　Archer；
  pacing　on　his　watch；　beheld　before　him　a　pale　female　figure。　　He
  did　not　know　whence　she　came：　but　there　suddenly　she　stood　close　to
  him。　　Her　blue；　clear；　glassy　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him。　　Her　form
  was　of　faultless　beauty；　her　face　pale　as　the　marble　of　the　fairy
  statue；　ere　yet　the　sculptor's　love　had　given　it　life。　　A　smile
  played　upon　her　features；　but　it　was　no　warmer　than　the　reflection
  of　a　moonbeam　on　a　lake；　and　yet　it　was　wondrous　beautiful。　　A
  fascination　stole　over　the　senses　of　young　Wolfgang。　　He　stared　at
  the　lovely　apparition　with　fixed　eyes　and　distended　jaws。　　She
  looked　at　him　with　ineffable　archness。　　She　lifted　one　beautifully
  rounded　alabaster　arm；　and　made　a　sign　as　if　to　beckon　him　towards
  her。　　Did　Wolfgangthe　young　and　lusty　Wolfgangfollow？　　Ask　the
  iron　whether　it　follows　the　magnet？ask　the　pointer　whether　it
  pursues　the　partridge　through　the　stubble？ask　the　youth　whether
  the　lollipop…shop　does　not　attract　him？　　Wolfgang　DID　follow。　　An
  antique　door　opened；　as　if　by　magic。　　There　was　no　light；　and　yet
  they　saw　quite　plain；　they　passed　through　the　innumerable　ancient
  chambers；　and　yet　they　did　not　wake　any　of　the　owls　and　bats
  roosting　there。　　We　know　not　through　how　many　apartments　the　young
  couple　passed；　but　at　last　they　came　to　one　where　a　feast　was
  prepared：　and　on　an　antique　table；　covered　with　massive　silver；
  covers　were　laid　for　two。　　The　lady　took　her　place　at　one　end　of
  the　table；　and　with　her　sweetest　nod　beckoned　Wolfgang　to　the　other
  seat。　　He　took　it。　　The　table　was　small；　and　their　knees　met。　　He
  felt　as　cold　in　his　legs　as　if　he　were　kneeling　against　an　ice…well。
  〃Gallant　archer；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　hungry　after　your　day's
  march。　　What　supper　will　you　have？　　Shall　it　be　a　delicate　lobster…
  salad？　or　a　dish　of　elegant　tripe　and　onions？　or　a　slice　of　boar's…
  head　and　truffles？　or　a　Welsh　rabbit　a　la　cave　au　cidre？　or　a
  beefsteak　and　shallot？　or　a　couple　of　rognons　a　la　brochette？
  Speak；　brave　bowyer：　you　have　but　to　order。〃
  As　there　was　nothing　on　the　table　but　a　covered　silver　dish；
  Wolfgang　thought　that　the　lady　who　proposed　such　a　multiplicity　of
  delicacies　to　him　was　only　laughing　at　him；　so　he　determined　to　try
  her　with　something　extremely　rare。
  〃Fair　princess；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　very　much　a　pork…chop　and