_Jödi_. Oh my! Oh my! What have you done? He has fallen right into the moat--on one of the swans! _Ponsch_. Indeed--on one of the swans? (_A pot of mignonnette is blown off the window-sill by a gust._) I will close the window. (_Closes it; a hailstorm beats on the panes._) Is that really a hailstorm--or only birds? _Jödi_. I can hear nothing. (P. _strikes her suddenly on the head with staff._) Someone is knocking at my door. Come in! I cannot see anything now. _Ponsch_. Can you, indeed, see nothing? [_He strikes her again._ _Jödi_. Now I can see stars. I feel as if purple mills were going round in my head. I shall never kiss anybody any more. Oh! oh! oh! [_She dies._ _Ponsch_. She was a beautiful woman, do you know? Oh, how lonely I shall feel hereafter! (_A black dog is heard scratching and sniffing outside the door._) It is only Tobbi. Someone has trod on your toe, my poor Tobbi. Come in. Give me your paw. (_Tobbi enters, and flies suddenly at his nose._) Oh, my nose is bleeding! Let us go to the pond. I do not know why I feel so melancholy this evening. [_He goes out, pursued by Tobbi._ SAMPLE No. II.--_A Hall in Castle Ollendorff. A Marionnette Theatre at the back of Stage. DJOË, a Belgian Bedell, and Dutch Dolls-in-waiting discovered._ _Djoë_. Green flames are running along the walls, and blue globes are bounding about the back garden. I have never seen such a night. Here comes the Prince. [_Enter PONSCH, conscience-stricken; all bow._ _Ponsch_. I am not melancholy, but I have hardly any hair. Let the Play commence! _Curtain of Marionnette Show rises; a Clown is seen chasing a butterfly._ _A Councillor_. Oh! oh! oh! [_Uproar; the Clown and Butterfly are withdrawn. A Skeleton appears on the Stage, and dances his head and limbs off in a blue light._ _Ponsch_ (_rising_). That was done purposely! You are driving at something. Confess it! Is there no topic more cheerful? I cannot bear it any longer! [_Knocks down DJOË with his staff. A combat, during which DJOË several times obtains possession of the weapon, and wounds PONSCH. N.B.--Note the striking resemblance here to the similar, but very inferior, Scenes in "Hamlet."_ _The Dutch Dolls_ (_running about_). Both of them bleeding already! There's blood on the walls already! Already blood on the walls! (&c.). _The Bedell_. The Prince has slain DJOË. Take him into custody. [_PONSCH strikes the Bedell down._ _The B._ Ha! ha! ha! (_Tries to rise--but is struck again_). Ha! ha! (_PONSCH strikes once more._) Ha! [_The Bedell dies; a draught enters under the door and blows out two of the candles; a thunderbolt is heard coming down-stairs, and the Ghost of JÖDI suddenly appears from behind a tapestry representing "The Finding of Moses."_