longer than I have, are there many sad hours in life, many, when the heart is really oppressed, when it seems as if one would willingly die?” "There are such hours." “Many?” "O, yes! especially when one is not truly gentle and resigned in temper." "Then will I pray God, that he will soon let me die, for I wish not to have such hours," said Adelaide, impatiently. "My sweet Emma, I am not willing to be wretched!" she continued, weeping. "Are not willing! it is not right to say so." My sweet Adelaide, 'Is it not? Forgive me!" and she dried her tears. "And if you are not happy yourself, cannot you live for others? You are your father's and my best pleasure in the world, Adelaide will ; not live for our sakes?" you "I will!" said Adelaide, kissing my cheek, and wetting it with a tear. rich world of anticipations and recollections, I heard light footsteps approaching, but very gently, as if some one was afraid of being heard. I thought it was the President (who was truly fond of music), but, as I got up, my eyes fell on Count Alaric's more than ordinarily pale and serious countenance. He made a sign to me to be silent, and sat down on the corner of the sofa at some distance from me. Adelaide, who was sitting with her back towards us, did not perceive what had taken place, and went on singing. I snuffed the candle, and observed Count Alaric's countenance. It was not long before I saw the sternness of his beautiful features softened, and giving place to an expression of indescribable gentleness; and then, -I remembered the President's tea, and went away to prepare it. In the saloon, the President was walking "backwards and forwards with hasty steps and a dark expression. While I was arranging the fire and turning over some refractory brands, he said: "But if you are sad, if you are unhappy, can I be glad? "I will not be melancholy any more; I will get used to being less happy; I will teach myself, no one shall suffer on my account!" "And if you should have heavy burdens to bear?" "He who lays them upon me," said Adelaide, bursting into tears, "will take them away, or help me to bear them." She arose, went to the piano, and endeavoured, as she always did, when her spirit was much moved, to find solace and relief in singing. Never had she sung more beautifully than this evening; there was a sadness, and a deep pathos, in her voice, which was inexpressibly touching. By degrees her spirit seemed to rise as she sung, and with life and inspiration she sang some of the beautiful airs from the "Creation," seeming to forget all the oppressive realities of life, in the idea of the beautiful, youthful world, as it once arose at the Creator's "word," free from sin and sorrow. Adelaide's singing came from a full soul, and called forth, therefore, irresistibly, a crowd of feelings and thoughts in the hearts of her hearers. This evening she touched the inmost fibres of the heart; I forgot that the President's tea-hour was drawing near, I forgot that the lamp was going out, I gave myself up absolutely to the delightful musings, which Adelaide's tones awakened in I thought of me. "the joyful days, When first the morning-dew lay on the earth!" I thought of the lovely songstress with inexpressible tenderness and solicitude, and of the life, of the destiny, which might be awaiting her. While I was allowing myself to be carried away by Adelaide into this "Has Count Alaric gone yet?" "He is going away! " said the President, "it is too bad! Something must have vexed him; he must be displeased about something. I cannot imagine what it is. He came to take leave of me, and begged me to take leave of the ladies for him, but I sent him in to do it himself. Is Augusta yet here?" "No. But she is probably coming." "There is some misunderstanding, some jealousy, or something of that sort. Augusta is not careful, she is not considerate enough. I am convinced he is desperately in love with her, and she cannot have a better husband; birth, characters, dispositions, every thing as it should be. If I could but conceive how this misunderstanding has arisen! I must have light on the subject. 66 Perhaps," said I, "Count Alaric is uncertain whether he really loves the Countess Augusta." "Loves her? Trust me, Miss Ronnquist, that does he truly. I am rarely mistaken in these things. I have been rather too much in the world and in society, to be mistaken in a thing of this kind, which, besides, is as clear as the sun. Alaric is in love with Augusta, and she does not hate him, that is certain. And he is just as much suited to her as Otto to Adelaide." At this moment we heard little quick footsteps running across the floor, and immediately the little ones rushed in, with open mouths, and eyes which seemed starting from their heads with astonishment and eagerness. They sprang into my arms quite breathless, and told, with indescribable volubility and disorder, something, which could not be clearly made out; but certain names, which they repeated, and the continually recurring refrain: "Why, he kissed her, she kissed him, they kissed each other!" caused the President to knit his brows. Count Alaric said something about the fortifications at Marstrand. The President looked surprised. The Countess Augusta asked, rather hastily, "Go in, Miss Ronnquist! Go in, for God's where Count Alaric's thoughts were this sake, ma bonne amie!" said the President, evening? I was not a little rejoiced when who seemed to be struck with a new light the children came in with their blueberry at this instant,-"Go in and see what this cake and introduced a useful change into is. The thing would be most disastrous to the discourse. I was the first who venme! Count Alaric is not a man to say tured to make trial of their cookery, and en'No' to; and he is not rich, he is not suit-couraged all the rest to follow my example. able for Adelaide. Go, do then go! I will follow you immediately; I must first despatch my letters." I went quite slowly, with the children for avant-couriers, whom I persuaded to go and look after their tarts, with which I longed to be treated. As soon as I had got into the ante-room, I saw that all had been said between Alaric and Adelaide. Love and joy beamed from their eyes, so that the very room seemed brightened by them. Adelaide sprang forwards, and threw her arms round my neck: "I shall be happy, happy!" she whispered; Count Alaric took my hand, and at the same moment the Countess Augusta entered. She cast upon us a strangely inquiring glance, and turned pale; her voice trembled when she asked for her father. He came in almost at the same moment, then Edla appeared, and we sat down to tea, most of us in quite a confused and absent state of mind. The two happy lovers, however, seemed to have very collected thoughts and feelings. In Adelaide there seemed a gladness of heart, which took her wholly away from the present; she brought to my mind the ambrosial clouds, with which the Gods of former times sometimes enveloped their earthly loves. Adelaide drew herself back into shadow, and there concealed her glowing cheeks, her intense feelings. Count Alaric was beautiful to look upon, something so majestically serene seemed spread over his ample forehead; one might say, that he was bearing with freshness of power a world of bliss within his breast. Why did his lightning glance seek the shadow, as if there was his light? The President spoke of the cholera, and of the probability of its soon coming to Sweden. "Very, very fine weather!" answered Count Alaric. I was somewhat warm at my heart, when I heard Count Alaric ask the President, at what time, the next day, he could have an interview with him? and the President, half vexed, half oppressed with business, spoke of affairs, of time wholly occupied, invitation to dinner, &c. Count Alaric remained, however, fixed for an hour of the following day! and the President saw that there was no getting off. So that, after many excuses, he at last found himself constrained to fix twelve the next day, for an interview with the Count. "Well?" said the President, taking my hand, and drawing me aside, after the company had gone, "well, what has happened?" "Ah, that is just what I should be most happy to know!" I replied. "The Countess Augusta came into the room directly after me, and I could ask for no explanation." The President looked extremely dissatisfied. "This is a most disastrous affair!" said he. "My brother-in-law has nearly obtained my promise of Adelaide for Otto. But I will tell the Count, I will tell him, that Adelaide is not a suitable wife for him." "Hear first what she herself thinks about it!" I asked entreatingly. "A very disastrous affair!" were the President's last words; very disastrous; with proper attention from the right quarter, it could not have proceeded so far." 66 That the President meant me, by the "right quarter," I well understood, and I could read it, besides, in the look which he cast upon me, meantime. But all this did not disturb me much. Adelaide would be happy! When I was alone with Adelaide in her room, I sought to obtain some account of what had passed, and how the intended visit of leave-taking had taken such a different turn; but from what Adelaide said to me amidst beaming smiles, tears, and affectionate embraces, the sharpest person could not make out much. It seemed, that Count Alaric had taken a fancy to play the part of Pygmalion, that he had laid his hand inquiringly upon the heart of the beloved one, but had forgotten himself, and instead of Galatea, had called on "Adelaide!" The amount of it, after all, seemed to be contained in what the children had said: "Ah, they kissed, they kissed each other!" But how this came about no mortal can tell. PLEASURES. "Now began another life, A great supper every evening.' MADAME LENNGREN. THE clock struck twelve, the clock struck one, two, the next day, while Adelaide and I remained in a state of the most painful uncertainty and expectation. We heard steps and talking in the President's room. At three, the President came in to dinner; no Count Alaric was to be seen. The President was in a tender mood; he often looked at Adelaide, and tears sometimes came into his eyes. He ate, without minding what, (very uncommon for him,) and scarcely said any thing. Immediately after coffee, he called Adelaide into his room. After a short preparation, he communicated to her what had passed in his interview with Alaric, spoke of the plans which he himself had formed for her future life, pointed out to her the difference in her situation as the wife of the rich Otto, in the most brilliant circles of the Court and of the capital city, and as the wife of the not rich Count Alaric, upon his solitary estate in a remote province. He exaggerated the contrast, apparently to try Adelaide, perhaps also in the hope of persuading her; but he left her at last a free choice. She opened her heart to her father. The President's affectionate and paternal feelings then showed themselves without disguise. He told Adelaide that her love did her honor; that Count Alaric had won his heart too; that he should be proud to call him his son; that he had expected him to choose another of his daughters, but if his best loved child would be happy with Count Alaric, he should see God's will in it. Then he gave Adelaide a little advice for the future, placing before her the seriousness and the extent of the duties which she was about to take upon herself. He warned her against vanity and love of pleasure, which might be dangerous enemies to her husband, and fatal to her own peace, &c. The President had not chosen to give the Count a decided answer until he had talked to his daughter and to the family of his brother-in-law about what was in contemplation; and this latter task he proposed to accomplish, though with a heavy heart, the following day. Adelaide came from her father deeply moved, and more serious than I had ever seen her. In less than one hour, however, had this seriousness given place to the sweetest and most heart-felt joy. She sighed, however, occasionally, and said : "Poor Otto!" Yes, poor Otto! He was indeed to be pitied. The family of his Excellency were greatly excited on the occasion. But his Excellency, a prudent man of the world, thinks it best to make as little noise as possible, about the mortification which the family have suffered by this refusal. Nevertheless, a real separation would probably have taken place between the two families, had it not been for Adelaide. She talked so well with her uncle and her aunt, showed them so much affection, so much gratitude, that they, out of love to her, forgot all their displeasure. The Baroness, who loved Adelaide as a daughter, begged only, that she would go out with her now and then, as before. "I should otherwise be made poor too suddenly!" said she, with tears in her eyes. Adelaide promised every thing which could comfort her. It was worse with Otto. He was desperate, broke chairs and tables to pieces, and it required all the real love which he bore to Adelaide to hinder him from challenging Count Alaric, as his rival. Adelaide used all the power she had over him, to make him more tranquil; she talked kindly, she talked reasonably to him, she promised always to feel to him as a sister, -in vain! Otto sent sisters to the d—, and wept over his lost bride. Strangely enough, the Countess Augusta succeeded in quieting him better than any one else. She had many and long talks with him, and he became gradually more composed. Upon Count Alaric he always cast the most furious glances. The latter, on the contrary, who truly pitied his unhappy rival, was very friendly towards him, and won, by degrees, the regard of his Excellency, and even of the Baroness, by his gentlemanly bearing. The Countess Augusta accommodated herself extraordinarily to the state of things. I could not help doubting whether she loved Count Alaric, as I had sometimes supposed. She said she was proud of being a friend and a sister to him, and was happy in Adelaide's happiness. I doubted a little about her sisterly feelings, on the evening of "the kissing." On the same day that the President talked with Adelaide, he said to me in the evening: "Count Alaric has quite robbed me of my heart to-day. A proud, a noble man, Miss Ronnquist; and he is not poor either. He explained to me clearly the state of his affairs. Now, he is not exactly rich, far from it! but probably that is no misfortune for Adelaide, riches bring with them so many cares! I believe that Count Alaric will make my Adelaide happy. And she loves him, Miss Ronnquist. Heavens! how much we mistake sometimes! That Adelaide must go so far from me, that costs me much; but since her happiness is in question, so be it." The President wiped his eyes. I wish that you, my dear reader, could have seen Adelaide on the day of her betrothment. I had taken pleasure in o amenting her white silk dress with swan's down around the bottom of the skirt, the neck, and the short sleeves; it was scarcely whiter than her skin. Some fresh roses, which Count Alaric had given her, and which were the first objects that met her eyes, when she opened them in the morning, and a beautiful pearl necklace, which he gave her, were her only ornaments. She was splendidly beautiful and charming; on that subject there was but one voice. Count Alaric to make use of a more expressive than elegant phrase devoured her with his eyes. A mild and lovely seriousness was on Adelaide's face and in her whole manner this day. Her look was elevated, and, as it were, transfigured. She felt her blessedness with heartfelt gratitude. "Should I not be glad?" said she to Count Alaric, "life has become to me like a garden of roses." He pressed her to his heart, called her "his beautiful swan, his life's flower, his joy!" The philosopher had been wholly transformed into the lover. His Excellency G. and the Baroness were among the guests; the former held forth in an edifying discourse; but the eyes of the Baroness were occasionally filled with tears. Otto was not present. In the evening, when Adelaide was going into the kitchen to look at some of the preparations for supper, she was seized on the ground-floor by a tall man enveloped in a cloak; she was terrified at first, but soon found it was Otto. "I would see you to-day, Adelaide," said he, "but could not bear it among so many others. See how thin I am, cousin Adelaide! My clothes hang about me -" "Poor Otto! my good Otto!" said Adelaide, with unaffected sympathy. "Yes! Poor Otto, you do not inquire much about him. He might lay himself down in the cold grave for all you! you would dance afterwards just as gayly." "Otto!" said Adelaide, earnestly, "how can you talk so? Why will you make me so sad? It is not right in you, Otto." It | voice, which made Adelaide tremble. was Count Alaric; he stood at her side. "Thine!" said she, and, at the same time, put her arms around his neck. "Good night, best Otto, farewell!" Otto ran down the steps furiously. Count Alaric was dissatisfied. He expressed himself slightingly of Otto, and was vexed that Adelaide had stood in the door-way, and exposed herself to cold. Servants might have been near and heard what was said, &c. &c. He grumbled and scolded just as men do," the sinner!" "Be not so severe !" said Adelaide, tenderly. "You are happy, Otto is unhappy! "But he must bear it as a man; he behaves so pitifully are "Otto is good, he is better than you Kisses and peace. From this day there began for the betrothed pair an endless succession of amusements. The whole world would see, the whole world must invite them. Adelaide was presented at Court, at the President's desire. The King distinguished the Count by the most striking tokens of regard. The alliance with a man so distinguished by bravery, learning, and the most noble figure, lent a new brilliancy to Adelaide's life. Her beauty seemed to be continually higher, more splendid; she was everywhere the fairest of the fair, the most sought after, flattered and caressed; often so surrounded that Alaric could with difficulty approach her. This and Otto's continued hanging at the back of Adelaide's chair, whenever they met in society, made this manner of life at last unpleasant to him. He represented all this, he wished they would stay at home, and refuse these incessant invitations, under some pretext or other; but Adelaide, carried away by her love of dancing, of being caressed and loved, and by her youthful spirits, gave herself up wildly to these amusements, and would listen to no representations on the subject. At last I too began to urge her to stay more at home, and to comply with the wishes of Alaric. "Let me dance, let me play," Adelaide en "How beautiful you are," said Otto, look ing at her with admiration, and with raised hands; "how enchanting you are! How beautiful you are with that swan's down! you are truly divine! Are you happy, Ade-treated rather impatiently; "I am yet so Jaide!" "Yes, dear Otto! I must go now; detain me no longer, good, kind Otto! Adieu!" young; I may surely have some amusement. My sweet Emma! be kind to your Adelaide! do not grudge me my lightness of heart! "God bless you, Adelaide!" said Otto, This is my last winter of dancing; then I with a hoarse voice, while he bent down and will sit down in the country, and brew and kissed the swan's down on the border of her bake. Every thing has its season, dear dress; "God bless you, my Adelaide!" Emma; you must not forbid dancing now. "Whose Adelaide ?" was asked in a Is it not so?" cried she, running to meet Alaric, who came in at the moment. "I may take my pleasure, dance, be gay, have my own way in every thing, and no one shall say an unkind word to me, but all shall love me and indulge me." Saying this, her face was radiant with joy and roguery. "And spoil you, Adelaide ?" said Count Alaric, while he kissed her forehead. "Not spoil me! I cannot be spoiled." "You are so, already, Adelaide," said Alaric, smiling, but with seriousness. "So! You find faults in me?" "Yes." We lived with an old aunt, who took us home, after our father's death. She was very sickly and poor, and so could not do much for us; we were generally left to an old woman, who had the charge of us; but she was a little severe and a little sharp, and very deaf, so that we did not have many pleasant days with her. Nevertheless we tried to amuse ourselves as well as we could. We had tamed a little rat, so that, when we laid a bit of sugar on the stone by the stove, he would come out and eat it, whilst we stood in the other corner of "You must love me with all my faults, you the room; it is true that we dared scarcely shall even love them for my sake!" "I cannot, Adelaide." "You will not!" "I cannot. I cannot love a giddy and frivolous woman.' "Indeed! Nor can I love a cross and sullen man." "Adelaide!" "Alaric! Then, my beloved Alaric, I will do as you will, will become what you will, will put away all my faults. But then be a little kind to me! Let me amuse myself for this short time! "Amuse yourself, Adelaide. But I am weary of these so called pleasures, these perpetual, empty amusements. I will stay at home. You must go alone." "Nay! now you are cruel! My dear, good Alaric, hear! go with me only a few days more. Let me see, one, two, three, four, only four days; then I promise you to stay at home fourteen, if you will. Come, for my sake, my Alaric! Without you I can have no pleasure. Will you not go for the sake of your Adelaide?" Count Alaric consented. The President went out this evening with his daughter; Edla was working in solitude in her own room. I stayed at home, for I was weary with many nights' watching. The children were sitting by me. Carriage after carriage rolled by, lights were streaming from all the windows of the castle. As we heard the noise of the rockets, which were rising to celebrate the king's birthday, the children began to cry, and thought it was rather hard to sit in the dark, and not see the show which all the world were seeing. To comfort them, I promised to tell them a story. They dried up their tears, stretched open their eyes, and listened attentively to a true and edifying story about moderation in our enjoyments. MODERATE PLEASURES. breathe, but yet we were not a little flattered by his confidence in us. Bits of sugar were, however, in these times, rare treasures for us, and not more than two little pieces a week could we have for the rat and for our own eating. Sundays were great holydays with us, for then we had eau de Cologne on the corners of our handkerchiefs, butter to our potatoes at breakfast, and roast meat at dinner. "Another great pleasure, which I did not mention to the children, but which I must confide to you, my reader, was, that old Aunt R., a meagre, pinched-up widow, used to come on Sundays to make an afternoon visit to my aunt. This was uncommonly pleasant, be cause we had biscuits with our tea at supper, and especially because she liked to talk of her lovers, which put all sorts of notions into our heads. I never shall forget the profound curiosity and interest with which I heard her whisper to my aunt : 'Think of it! I might have had that rich S. in the bank!' But she had never been willing to marry again. "It was also among our pleasures, that we could, twice in the week, walk an hour in the court-yard. But as people are seldom content with what they have, we were not satisfied with our amusements, and when summer arrived, and all the great people came out to their estates in the country, we took great pleasure in the idea of making a country residence for ourselves. We had sometimes followed the old woman into the cellar, and we had observed a place in the corner, on which the light struck from a certain airhole, open towards the garden. Here we planted a pea, one fine morning towards the end of May. For three weeks we went every day, and sought out the place, moving the earth a little about it, to see whether the pea had not begun to sprout. Our delight was great, when, on the twenty-fourth day after the planting, we saw a little swelling "It tastes of the bird, however!' said the old up of the earth, and, under this, our pre woman, and she cooked the rail of the fence on which the crow had been sitting." "Far, far down in the pass of the Clara mountains I dwelt with my sister Joanna. cious pea, beautifully green and very shy, just peeping up with an expanded leaf. We danced round it and sung for joy. Near this plantation we then placed a little pasteboard house, and before it a small |