Short stories of the tragedy and comedy of life with a critical preface . d, andinexplicable beings. THE WHITE LADY ORTUNA, goddess of chance andgood luck, has always been Cu-pids best ally, and Arnold T., whowas a lieutenant in a hussar regi-ment, was evidently a special favoriteof both deities. This good-looking, well-bred youngofficer had been an enthusiastic ad-mirer of the two Countesses W., motherand daughter, during a tolerably long leaveof absence, which he spent with his rela-tions in Vienna. He had admired them inthe Prater, had worshiped them at the opera,but he had never had an opp
Short stories of the tragedy and comedy of life with a critical preface . d, andinexplicable beings. THE WHITE LADY ORTUNA, goddess of chance andgood luck, has always been Cu-pids best ally, and Arnold T., whowas a lieutenant in a hussar regi-ment, was evidently a special favoriteof both deities. This good-looking, well-bred youngofficer had been an enthusiastic ad-mirer of the two Countesses W., motherand daughter, during a tolerably long leaveof absence, which he spent with his rela-tions in Vienna. He had admired them inthe Prater, had worshiped them at the opera,but he had never had an opportunity of mak-ing their acquaintance, and when he was back at hisdull quarters in Galicia, he liked to think about thosetwo aristocratic beauties. Last summer his regimentwas transferred to Bohemia, to a wildly romantic dis-trict, which has been made illustrious by a talentedwriter. It abounds in magnificent woods, lofty moun-tain-forests, and castles, and is a favorite summerresort of the neighboring aristocracy. Who can describe his joyful surprise when he and(280). THE WHITE LADY 281 his men were quartered in an old, weatherbeatencastle in the middle of a wood, and he learned fromthe house-steward who received him that the ownerof the castle was the husband, and, consequently,also the father of his Viennese ideals. An hour afterhe had taken possession of his old-fashioned butbeautifully furnished room in a side-wing of the cas-tle, he put on his full-dress uniform, and throwinghis dolman over his shoulders went to pay his re-spects to the Count and the ladies. He was received with the greatest cordiality. TheCount was delighted to have a companion when hewent out shooting, and the ladies were no less pleasedat having some one to accompany them on theirwalks in the forests, or on their rides, so that he feltonly half on the earth and half in the seventh heavenof Mohammedan bhss. Before supper he found timeto inspect the house more closely, and even to takea sketch of the la
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