\"Anyhow，itisn\'ttrue，\"saidtheBaronesscomplacently；\"sinceweboughttheplacewehavehadproofthatnothingofthesorthappens。
Whentheoldmother-in-lawdiedlastspringtimewealllistened，buttherewasnohowling。Itisjustastorythatlendsdignitytotheplacewithoutcostinganything。\"
\"Thestoryisnotasyouhavetoldit，\"saidAmalie，thegreyoldgoverness。Everyoneturnedandlookedatherinastonishment。Shewaswonttositsilentandprimandfadedinherplaceattable，neverspeakingunlesssomeonespoketoher，andtherewerefewwhotroubledthemselvestomakeconversationwithher。To-dayasuddenvolubilityhaddescendedonher；shecontinuedtotalk，rapidlyandnervously，lookingstraightinfrontofherandseemingtoaddressnooneinparticular。
\"Itisnotwhenanyonediesinthecastlethatthehowlingisheard。ItwaswhenoneoftheCernogratzfamilydiedherethatthewolvescamefromfarandnearandhowledattheedgeoftheforestjustbeforethedeathhour。Therewereonlyafewcoupleofwolvesthathadtheirlairsinthispartoftheforest，butatsuchatimethekeeperssaytherewouldbescoresofthem，glidingaboutintheshadowsandhowlinginchorus，andthedogsofthecastleandthevillageandallthefarmsroundwouldbayandhowlinfearandangeratthewolfchorus，andasthesoulofthedyingoneleftitsbodyatreewouldcrashdowninthepark。ThatiswhathappenedwhenaCernogratzdiedinhisfamilycastle。Butforastrangerdyinghere，ofcoursenowolfwouldhowlandnotreewouldfall。Oh，no。\"
Therewasanoteofdefiance，almostofcontempt，inhervoiceasshesaidthelastwords。Thewell-fed，much-too-welldressedBaronessstaredangrilyatthedowdyoldwomanwhohadcomeforthfromherusualandseemlypositionofeffacementtospeaksodisrespectfully。