Burlesques William Makepeace Thackeray

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the Margrave had despatched to Cologne for his son. This herald wore a still longer face
than that of his comrade who preceded him.
"Where is my darling?" roared the agonized parent. "Have ye brought him with ye?"
"N—no," said the man, hesitating.
"I will flog the knave soundly when he comes," cried the father, vainly endeavoring, under
an appearance of sternness, to hide his inward emotion and tenderness.
"Please, your Highness," said the messenger, making a desperate effort, "Count Otto is not
at the convent."
"Know ye, knave, where he is?"
The swain solemnly said, "I do. He is THERE." He pointed as he spake to the broad Rhine,
that was seen from the casement, lighted up by the magnificent hues of sunset.
"THERE! How mean ye THERE?" gasped the Margrave, wrought to a pitch of nervous
fury.
"Alas! my good lord, when he was in the boat which was to conduct him to the convent,
he—he jumped suddenly from it, and is dr—dr—owned."
"Carry that knave out and hang him!" said the Margrave, with a calmness more dreadful
than any outburst of rage. "Let every man of the boat's crew be blown from the mouth of
the cannon on the tower—except the coxswain, and let him be—"
What was to be done with the coxswain, no one knows; for at that moment, and overcome
by his emotion, the Margrave sank down lifeless on the floor.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CHILDE OF GODESBERG.
It must be clear to the dullest intellect (if amongst our readers we dare venture to presume
that a dull intellect should be found) that the cause of the Margrave's fainting-fit, described
in the last chapter, was a groundless apprehension on the part of that too solicitous and
credulous nobleman regarding the fate of his beloved child. No, young Otto was NOT
drowned. Was ever hero of romantic story done to death so early in the tale? Young Otto