We reached the Castle; the sight of us served to give new life to the exhausted lady, who surrounded by none but men had met with but sorry attendance. She embraced me, and called me by the tender name of sister. I soon confided her to the care of my nurse, and quitted her chamber for the purpose of making arrangements for her treatment; and I gave my directions in a tone of as much earnestness, as had I been in my uncle’s castle. Anxiety about the Countess made me take the whole business upon my own hands; I saw nothing extraordinary in what I was doing, and could by no means conceive, why Count Ethelbert’s people examined me with looks of such surprise; nor why he was himself always by my side, expressing the most excessive delight and satisfaction at every thing that I did, and loading me with such a profusion of thanks, that it was utterly impossible for me to ascribe them all to the interest, which he felt about his unfortunate guest. Before day-break, Edith became the mother of a boy; and never did any other mother feel equal rapture with hers, when for the first time she prest him to her bosom. In this new-born babe she embraced not merely her child, but the future conqueror of her foes, and the preserver of her family. Nothing more than the birth of this boy was necessary to destroy every claim of the avaricious Abbot of St. Gall upon Mayenfield, and reduce him to the condition of a feudal dependent. Count Ethelbert on _his_ part neglected not to spread abroad the news of the birth of a young Count of Mayenfield, and to invite through his heralds both friends and foes to convince themselves by their eyes of the existence of this infant nobleman. Count Venosta had experienced no trifling anxiety on being informed of my midnight excursion, the motive of which no one was able to explain to his satisfaction. He determined to examine into the real nature of the transaction himself; accordingly the first sunbeams saw him cross the draw-bridge of Ethelbert’s castle, accompanied by his whole train of hunters, whom he had ordered to hold themselves prepared for a serious engagement, in case the nature of things should make it necessary to come to hostilities. The Count of Carlsheim was already abroad, employed in business which regarded the adventure of the past night. My uncle found me sitting by the bed-side of the newly-delivered Countess, whose ardent thanks for the assistance, which I had afforded her, instantly removed every trace of anger from his brow; and the severe lecture which he intended to bestow on me, was softened into a gentle remonstrance against my acting in general with too much precipitation.