Castle Crazy; And, Maroshely (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1851 Excerpt: ... eyes, --or the waters of the Pernitz will flow over her delicate limbs, and the fishes dart past them and struggle for the morsel that one has snatched away. I, meantime, shall seek, seek, always, always--and then I shall cry and howl to the terrible heavens above, till all the stars shall tremble at hearing me; for she is the loveliest creature on the earth, the loveliest creature that sun and stars shine on, as Narcissa was." He now shot a strange, shy glance towards Henry, saying, "I will open, sir, for I keep everything bolted and barred." And he turned the great keys in the doors--although there was nothing to be locked; for the walls were full of gaps, a broad staircase led up to heaps of rubbish, the air streamed in through all the windows, wainscoting and brickwork had long since disappeared, the marble floor of the saloons was buried in dust, stone steps were hanging in the air, mortar crumbling to pieces and rattling down on every side, and luxuriant plants and weeds sprang up wherever the air pierced in, or the sunbeams kissed the broken walls. Over one of these hanging, sloping staircases must the little girl have clambered up to the high balcony. After making their way over heaps of stone and mortar, and creeping through gaps and doorways, without having met with anything worthy of remark, they desired to be let out, and the old man led them through another door, which he likewise locked carefully behind them, into the garden belonging to the house. It formed a long quadrangle, shut in behind by a huge rock of marble, light airy galleries raised a little above the ground bounding the other two sides. If it were possible for a wood or garden to be a ruin, this would have been one. Here were seen flower-beds sunk deep in the mould--shattered vases...