began before we saw the white walls of home gleaming through | hand which had only dealt out good things to us. He looked the climbing vines. My mother hurried in as if she expected at me piteously. to come upon some secret plot. 66 'My old friend Brigita called me into the kitchen. I always loved that old kitchen; the floor was scrubbed so scrupulously clean, the great stove had such a friendly air, and the bright copper utensils shone like gold on the walls; great earthen jars of milk stood there, into which I loved to dip. "We had dampf-noodles for dinner, Fraulein, and I saved you some,' said Brigita, with an air of mystery. 64 6 Terese, she is right,' he said, so gently; it is time for me to die. I am a burden to you all; but the lieber Gott lets me live, and I cannot die. It is hard to hear such words from my wife; I have tried to make her fond of me.' "And tears-those bitter tears of age which wring the heart -rolled down his cheeks. "She does not mean it,' I cried, trying to comfort him; 'passion makes her insane. You must not talk about dying. "I laughed, and took the plate. Brigita began in an explo- What could I do? Oh, my father, I shall have no one!' sive whisper: "He looked at me fondly, and stroked my hair with his poor "Oh, lieber Fräulein Terese, I am sure the papa has made a thin hands, as he said: will to-day.' "Faithful unto death, my little Terese. I have made it "Truly,' I answered, not old enough or worldly enough to easy for thee when I am gone.' be greatly interested. 66 "Then, as if he did not see me, he looked upward, and murmured: "Faithful unto death.' ''Yes,' she went on, quite red in the face with her efforts to whisper. As soon as the carriage was gone he sent for Doctor Meisner, and the two were closeted together the longest. Then they rung the bell, or rather the gracious Herr did, and I being near, went in, and the dark doctor he was a-walking about with his hands behind him, and the gracious Herr he was leaning back in the great chair, white and weak-looking.' "I wish he wouldn't confide in the dark doctor,' I said; hope that this stroke might pass like the other. But it did 'I hate him.' "So do I, my dear, and to save me, I couldn't give a sensible reason. Well, as I said, the master rang, and he asked me to bring him a couple of sheets of paper from his office, great thick sheets they were, and he took 'em and thanked me, and I heard the door locked again, and them two was closeted together the longest while. Then the doctor went out, and it's my opinion he carried that will with him.' "A step sounded near. Yes, I was a-saying,' Brigita went on in a loud voice, 'you always had such a liking for my noodles, and I dare say they made 'em very poor in that cloister.' "My lady mother opened the door to take a survey of the premises, to see if treason lurked there, perhaps, for she had evidently discovered nothing anywhere else. For me Brigita's words soon passed away, only to be recalled in later days. "With the early frosts my father's strength seemed to fail again. He could no longer walk about his room, but lay helpless on his bed, patient, and looking for the end. My mother looked for it, too, and grew impatient that it did not come. She complained bitterly of weariness, although she never watched a single night, and ate and slept as usual. The faithful Brigita shared with me the duties of the sick room, and the wife, whose true place was there, took her ease in her own way. One evening, I remember, she came in, quite splendid in a new black satin dress, with scarlet bows at her throat and in her hair. 'I am going to a little company to-night, Terese,' she said. 'I have the key; you need not sit up for me.' "The dear old man ventured to remonstrate. "She sits up every night, my dear; the child has had no good sleep for weeks; it is wearing her out. Can you not stay with me to-night?' "A convulsive change worked in his face, a strong shudder passed over his limbs, and then he was still-so still. I called, I kissed the stiffening hand, I shrieked aloud. Brigita came, and others. I could not believe him dead; even when the face turned white and grew cold, I sat there and waited, with a fond not-this was death! And I could not forget those cruel words, the last my mother had spoken to him she had sworn to love and honor-It is time for you to die!' "I forgot she was my mother when I thought of that, and hated her. God forgive me, I hate her yet when I remember that scene. "God had taken her at her word. He let the good old man depart in peace to a home where wrath and clamor could never more vex his righteous soul. I laid a wreath on his grave three years ago. When I am rich enough I will buy one of lead, such as adorn the statues here. The colors bear the sunshine and rain unchanged. A wreath is all I can give him now, the dear father! "My mother was sent for. The room was soon full of friends and servants. I can see now the tragedy air with which she entered that room. Then she took a prayerbook, and kneeling down, repeated a prayer for the dead in a perfectly distinct tone. I wondered where God's thunderbolts were that she was not struck speechless. But God does not see as man sees. It is an old saying, 'The mills of God grind slowly.' The day did come when He reached forward His avenging hand, and touched her most valued treasure. I lay almost unconscious on my bed in the twilight of that day, worn with watching and tears, when a sudden step and the sweep of a dress that I knew so well, aroused me. The door opened quickly. My mother stood there with her walking dress and bonnet on. in the half light that her face was livid with rage. "So it is all explained, you serpent, all this fawning and cringing on that weak old man, and I thought you so inhocent. I was so unsuspecting I trusted you, and so you have abused my confidence. He was doting; he was not in his right mind; I can testify that; I can swear it on the Bible, and I will.' "What is the matter?' I asked, trembling, and weak, and My mother colored with rage, an angry fire leaped into the sick. cold gray eyes. "Worn out, is she? So am I. My God! how long must it last, this life? Was I made for this, to be chained to a sick old man forever? It is time it ended, do you hear?-it is time for you to die! What is your life good for but to burden me-tie me fast like an infernal clog?' "I sprang forward, half frenzied with rage at such cruel words. With unnatural strength I seized her, bulky strong woman that she was, and pushed her toward the door. I did not feel the blows that rained thick and fast on my head. I felt as if I were made of steel and fire. "Wicked woman,' I cried, 'God will judge you for such words. Are you not afraid His eternal fires will strike you as you stand?' "I bolted her out, and then sank down, weak with the contest. I heard her walk away, and she went out all the same; I knelt by my father's bed, and took his thin, worn hand-that 666 I saw even 'Oh, what is the matter? It is like your deceit to ask. Oh, of course, you don't know; you never expected, or coaxed, or wheedled the silly old man into leaving you anything in his will-of course not. Oh, freilich !' 66 'Certainly, I did not,' I said, with some dignity. 'I did not think of money. I nursed my father, and staid with him for love, and because he had no one else; because he would have been neglected if I had not watched with him.' "You dare to say that, wretched girl,' she said, stepping forward with raised hand, as if to give me a blow. "I know not what influence staid her hand, but she let it fall again, and raged on. "Yes, I am cheated, and by my own child. I have sacrificed my life for nothing. Half, yes, half his fortune is left to you. Ill-gotten gains, may it prove a curse to you! but you shall never have it, by' "Then followed fearful curses which seemed to freeze my blood. "For God's sake, woman,' I cried-'mother' I could not call her 'do you remember his body lies yet unburied in the next room. Take the money, take all-I do not care for it; but do not commit this sacrilege. Is it not enough that your wicked passion helped to kill him without this?' 'She grew a little quieter at my words, and I begged her to leave me in peace. I lay for bours, half stupefied, wondering what I could do. I had no home-it could never be home to me again; it was a hell upon earth where this woman ruled. "So the night wore away, and morning, which dawns alike for the happy and the miserable, flushed all the east. I stood by the window, and watched the golden glory of that sunrise unfold into the perfect day. Through the pines the golen arrows of light fell till they kindled the green sward beneath. The mountain-tops, where the eternal snow lingered, grew pink under the glow. "It is a beautiful world,' I said, and hope seemed to rise within me again with the sunrise. The gracious Frau has, perhaps, remarked how much more desponding one is ever at night. The morning light dispels the shadows. "But I was surprised to see my mother sweeping the dew from the lawns with her long dress. She was going into the town again. I did not need to speculate. I knew it was about money. I sat still at the breakfast-table trying to swallow my coffee when she came back, flushed, heated with her walk, but with an exultation in her face which she could not conceal. "Pour out a cup of coffee for me, child,' she said; 'I have been in to our lawyer, and I have seen Doctor Meisner.' "I asked no questions, but handed her the cup of coffee in silence. "You are not curious, Terese,' she said, with a laugh. 'Well, it was all a mistake; the paper was not legally written. You receive nothing till my death. It is as it should be, and my blessed man showed his confidence in me to the last.' "She looked hard at me, as if to challenge opposition; I was quite childish enough to feel relieved; I could not bear that my love should appear interested; I was almost glad to be left nothing, so foolish and unworldly was I then. "Oh, you can sulk,' she said, gayly; but I can tell you, mademoiselle, you must walk straight now. weak old man to spoil you any more.' I am queen; no ] The room into which I was ushered had no floor but an earthen one. A table was already spread with some coarse black bread and milk, and an old woman in a shabby brown dress and yellow cap stood dividing the food. I looked in vain for the lady of the mansion, and at last ventured to ask, with sinking heart: "I arose and left the room, with a choking in my throatthis was the loss that wrung my heart; the money seemed nothing-the loving, tender-hearted friend was gone. "I saw him laid in the earth soon after, and the grave did not seem as desolate or as cold as those I went to afterward. "That very night I picked up a paper that was lying on the table, and found an advertisement for teachers, governesses and companions. "My heart leaped once more to life. Here was escape. I wrote at once to the agent of the bureau, a lady in Vienna. The answer came: Was I willing to go to Hungary?' "I was willing to go to the desert of Sahara then, to America-anywhere, anywhere away from home, so it was settled. I broke the news at once. I saw a pleasant expression in my mother's eyes. "Very right, Terese; I could not keep a great hulking girl like you about me doing nothing; for what else was your education?' "So I started on the journey with a desolate feeling. No one but old Brigita shed a tear when I went; no one else longed for my return. "I traveled alone, I who had lived my life in a cloister. In Germany I did well enough; but soon we crossed the border into Hungary, and I understood nothing of the language. The driver could speak a few words of German, that was a comfort. He was a wild-looking fellow, with long black hair floating in the wind, and a shaggy black beard; but I looked on him quite as a friend because he could speak German. "Once we stopped at an inn, a low building one story high, in a dirty court full of mud. I could hardly make my way to the dining-room, and when I opened the door, the fumes of topacco, garlic, and dogs, turned me quite sick. I went out and sat down under the one tree in the yard, where there was a rude bench, and the driver was good enough to bring me some bread and cheese, and a glass of wine, which is the national drink there instead of beer. I felt my hopes sinking as we went on; the country looked so desolate. Sometimes I caught a view of the Danube, but no picturesque points presented themselves; high sandbanks, and willow-wooded islands, clad in the tender green of early spring. 66 "Shall I not see the gnädige frau ?' "The man's effort to look melancholy with his one eye would have been quite comical under other circumstances. 666 "My adored frau has gone to a better home,' he began, which I thought was quite likely, as she could not well have found a worse. 'She was an angel, and so devoted to mewas she not, liebe mutter?' "The old woman nodded, and mumbled something indistinctly, looking at me in a very unpleasant way. I pleaded my long journey, said I was very tired, and begged to be excused. The old woman lit a candle, and showed me along an entry to a little unsavory room, where spiders festooned the walls, and the bed looked grimy and uninviting; but I was glad to be left alone, which the old woman seemed disinclined to do. She eyed me severely, and said something which I could not understand. I spoke in German, but she shook her old head till the yellow cap fell off. We could make nothing of each other; but afterward I received a key to her displeasure. I lay down so tired that even the hard, uncomfortable bed, my strange new quarters, and my vague fears, did not keep me awake; but something awoke me in the night-a horrible clamor, shrieks, one word ever repeated which I did not understand, then a confusion of tongues in the entry-the old lady's shrill voice, Herr Felso's, the children, a rush of footsteps, and a clang of doors; then all was still. "I lay there cold with fear. I wondered what kind of people these were among whom I had fallen-a set of lunatics, perhaps, or thieves; I trembled from head to foot; I could hardly crawl to the one narrow window for air. There I saw the cause of the tumult. Flames were curling up from a building near by, and the whole population of the village had turned out of their beds to see the spectacle. The wild forms of the men, with their black elf-locks, the ragged children dancing about these free fireworks, the not ungraceful figures of the women in their white bodices, illuminated by this great blaze, the Danube At last, just in the twilight, we stopped. The driver rolling near, its waters colored into flame, the trees so vividly jumped down, and gave me an expressive nod. green by the strange light, all made a picture not easily to be forgotten. "Illok, meine Fräuline; and a good home-coming to you.' "Is this Illok?' I asked, looking out dolefully, and stepping down with regret from the friendly shelter of the Eilwagen. 'I don't see any one waiting for me.' "I watched it long. Sleep had vanished from my eyes; I could only wonder at my position, and speculate about my future. My way was beset with difficulties; no one spoke Ger"For I only saw a frightful-looking man, with a tawny-man but Herr Felso, and I knew no one to consult, no way of red mane, and only one eye, which gave him a horrible appearance. He was walking up and down. He gave me a sharp glance from his one eye, like some evil-minded Cyclops, then stepped forward with an assured air. "This is Fräulein Berndes, I suppose?' he said. "And you are sent from Herr Felso?' I asked. "Wrong, I am Herr Felso him self,' he replied. "I was quite speechless after this answer. I reproached myself for so rashly coming into a strange land, and trusting myself unprotected among an apparently half-savage people. My companion took no no tice of my silence, but was most voluble on all subjects except those about which I was curious, his home and his children. escape.. "The next morning I understood the whole plan. There was no good teacher in the neighborhood, and this man had considered it a profitable plan to advertise for a governess, and then receive scholars from all who would send. I had been en A LADY'S FAN.-(FROM A DESIGN BY WATTEAU.)-PAGE 220. tirely misled in the matter. Instead of the children of the house merely, I found a dozen untrained, un taught pupils, two only who understood a word of German. "I could do nothing with them. The two young girls who could speak a little German were, I found, the daughters of a baron who had a place—a guts, as they called it-about two miles off. The elder, Matilde, was a blonde, with lovely blue eyes and golden braids, such as Titian paints so often. "I found Herr Felso very polite and attentive-indeed, his attentions grew troublesome. I began to understand the old woman's dark looks. She was the mother of his first wife, and evidently believed that I was soon to be promoted to the place of honor. She seemed to instigate the children, who were wild little cubs, to various acts of rebellion, till my life grew intolerable. "I could not help admiring the baron's diplomatic manner of conducting matters. He was a powerful man in the neighborhood, and Herr Felso did not dare to show as much wrath as he felt. "Of course, the gnädige Fräulein does not receive any part of the salary,' he said, gruffly, ‘having disarranged all my plans in this way.' 'I was too happy to escape without salary. The baron's carriage drove up next morning, and I took my leave. The old lady beamed with smiles as she shook hands with me; but Herr Felso bowed stiffly, and his one eye shot out baleful fires. "What a paradise my new home seemed! It was a long, rambling building, only one story, as most of the houses in Hungary are, but built in a square, with numerous rooms. In the salon was a handsome carpet of velvet, and pictures, and old "One day I discovered a note on my table, written on rose-inlaid furniture. My pretty Matilde showed me my bedroom, tinted paper. I opened it with some misgivings. It was a proposal from Herr Felso. He had concluded the best way to permanently hold the governess was to marry her; but he did not propose in a business-like manner by any means. He assured me that I was the star of his life, the one rose left from the storm that had swept like a wild sirocco over the'-etc. "I pondered long over this letter, because I feared this oneeyed monster with the flame-colored manc. Sometimes, gnädige frau, it is allowable to lie. We think so, at least, in our church, you know, and this was one of the times. I did not dare to let him know that I refused him because I was insensible to his fascinations. I carefully worded my answer, therefore-said I felt deeply sensible of the honor he had done me, but regretted to say that a previous engagement in my own land would prevent, etc. "But he did not seem to despair; such was his confidence in his own attractions, he apparently thought all former ties must give way before them. The old woman came up into my room, and gave vent to her injured feelings in a burst of Hungarian eloquence, which was lost on me; but she made me understand that she would leave the house at once. "With many signs and manoeuvres I communicated to her the fact that I should go first, and there would be no need for her departure. Pacified somewhat, she withdrew, and left me alone to think. "Yes, I must go, but where? I was without money or friends in a strange land. Herr Felso seemed to watch my movements like a spy; he feared that he might lose his profitable investment. I went out of the house, and walked rapidly; I wished to lose sight for a while of the hateful place and its owners. I sat down at last, utterly worn out in mind and body, under a great dark funereal pine. The wind seemed to sigh through it like a dirge. I felt so utterly friendless and alone that my heart leaped when I caught sight of my blonde-haired pupil, Matilde. She had always been very friendly and sweet, and I determined to tell her all. "She was only fourteen, but she listened with the gravity of a woman. 80. where bright-colored rugs adorned the polished floor, and the bed was decked with a snowy spread. White curtains also draped the windows, and a beautiful blush-rose, in full bloom, stood there. "That was mine,' whispered Matilde, looking like a blushrose herself. 'I have given it to you. Does it not give your little room a friendly look?' Everything looks friendly and sweet,' I said, putting my arms around her neck, and crying for joy. "What a quiet haven of rest it seemed to me there! I heard tidings from the outer world unmoved. My mother wrote at long intervals; she had left the quiet little country village and gone to Munich, where more excitement and pleasures offered. It seemed nothing to me then where she went, or how she spent her money. "I reveled in the beautiful free country life. I found the Hungarians a noble and chivalrous people; even the wild countrymen, with their black manes and robes of skins, were only wild in appearance. They were brave and patriotic, and forever oppressed; they had a melancholy air about them, which appealed to the imagination and touched the heart. "There were two sons in the family, both absent when I went there. In August Paul came home. He was not like my goldenhaired Matilde, but dark, with steadfast gray eyes and jetty curls. He spoke German and French well, and seemed delighted that his sisters were to have the advantage of a liberal education. "Our Hungary is so deficient in schools,' he said to me, 'our girls can talk of nothing but dress or cooking.' "He sang also in a rich, melancholy voice, Hungarian songs. The language which had sounded so rough and harsh grew musical to me. I learned to speak it then by degrees. I played the accompaniments for him, and we talked of our poets. He lingered long in the schoolroom, perfecting his German, as he explained to his mother, when she scolded him, good-naturedly, for interrupting lessons. "His mother, the baronin, was a pleasant-tempered, worldly sort of a woman, who had brought a fortune to her husband "It must be hateful there,' she said; ‘I have ever thought instead of noble blood. She valued money, therefore, above You shall come to us.' "I smiled; I did not build on the child's words. "Oh, yes,' she said, 'my father does all I wish. He has often said we needed a governess, and you shall come. I will go right home and arrange it all.' "I could not feel so desolate after that. I thought that God had made me a way of escape, though I had written that little white lie, at which you looked so grave, gnädige frau. every earthly good. "I was looked upon as an heiress when it was known that my mother possessed twenty-five thousand guldens; that was quite a large fortune for Hungary, where money is scarce and land plenty. I had so many happy days there, gnädige frauthe only really happy days of my life. One I think about forever, because it was my last. "The baron always gave a feast at the gathering in of the "That evening Herr Felso came in with so grave a face, I vintage. We went out to the wein-berg together, a merry party knew something had happened. -such a clear, bright sky above, with a sunshine which seemed to kindle the golden grapes into fire. You never saw' such grapes, I am sure-rosy, with a milky bloom, greenish gold, deep dusk-red, royal-purple, every hue and tint between seemed represented in the luscious fruit that lay heaped about in such profusion. "So you are dissatisfied here, Fräulein Berndes,' he began. "I stammered something about not understanding the language. 666 'To-day I received a call from Herr Baron Meyer,' he went on. 'He inquired if the new teacher gave me satisfaction. Of course, I spoke of you in flattering terms, meine Fräulein, for which he rewarded me by saying, "Ah, indeed; I am truly glad to hear such an account of the young lady, for my daughters have taken a fancy to her, and hearing she was going to leave you, I have decided to secure her."' "We all seemed to grow intoxicated with eating them, as if they had already turned into wine. There was an affluence of color everywhere. A gipsy band played at last, and all joined in the Czardas, which is the national dance of Hungary. You have no idea how thrilling the gipsy music is; every one seemed carried away by its life and animation. They have no notes, but the players seem to be listening, and their tones are modulated to an unheard melody which lives about them. The gnädige frau has never seen the Czardas, of course. There must be something about it very irresistible, for the people never seem to tire. Whenever the musicians stop there is a loud clapping of hands and cries for them to go on. "I did not dance; I stood a little apart looking at the bright picture. The clear sunshine over all, the luxuriant vines, the heaps of fruit, the gay dancers, the gipsy musicians, with some of their woman standing near, gorgeous in brocade dresses and yellow silk handkerchiefs bound round their jetty hair. A couple of Wallach girls, with red coral earrings and necklaces, and dazzling white kerchiefs beneath, had wandered near, and looked indolently on. fear, to rise again. You must come to me at once. I have been the victim of a swindler, and have lost everything. We are beggars, almost, except the trifling pension of two hundred gulden from the king, because I am a Beamter's widow. I write with great pain. Your mother, "SOPHIE BERNDES.' "I sat half stunned for a moment with this letter in my hand. The loss of the money which I had never enjoyed was not such a blow as the thought of leaving the peaceful home and the man I loved so suddenly. But my mother was dying, perhaps, and alone. Strange, monstrous as some of her conduct had been, I could not refuse her call; I must hear her last words; perhaps they might be words of penitence, or throw some light on the past. She had lost her idol-the money she had schemed and sinned to gain. God had visited her, her false friends had "I did not see Paul among the dancers, but I soon heard his deserted her, and I must go. voice, so near me that I started. "I went at once into the family sitting-room, with the letter "Won't you come with me to yonder old tree, Terese? in my hand. The baronin came forward with a most cordial There's a good seat there.' "You see he already called me Terese, gnädige frau, and the name never sounds the same from any one else. So we sat to gether on the rustic seat in sight of the changing panorama, yet so far that he could say what he would with no chance of being heard. "I cannot tell you all he said; I cannot put it into words. I would not if I could. There are some moments in one's life when one seems to drink the strong wine of happiness down at one draught, and one must thirst forever after. This was one of those moments, I suppose. Such unshadowed joy has never come to me since. Yes, he asked me to be his wife, this man whom I had looked upon as the impersonation of all that was noble, unselfish, and gifted; who had been to me as a star so high above me that I felt all unworthy, save through loving him again. "Do you love me, Terese?' he whispered-'that is all.' "Can I help it?' I said. "If you could help it, it would not be worth having,' he answered, with a happiness shining in his eyes and playing about his mouth. It seemed strange to me that I had power to make such a man happy; but for a time the Eden gates seemed open to us both. The music floated about us, but it seemed far off, and phantoms and colors mingled together before our eyes. We saw only each other-all the unhappy past seemed swept away by the strong tide of this new feeling. The present seemed infinite." Terese was silent here, as if she loved to linger over the day of joy and sunshine; but I was curious to hear all, so I said, "And then ?" "We went home through the green rows of vines, with a pale barvest moon shining over us. Such a dewy night, with its silvery lights, and the sound of distant music floating over us! Paul whispered: "It will be a pleasant home, after all, in poor Hungarywill it not?' “And I said, 'The fairest on earth.' Then coming down to a more practical view, I suggested, 'But your mother-your parents?' "I have sounded them,' he answered; 'they do not object. I believe my mother has some Hungarian damsel selected for me, but she'll relent.' "I went to my room, too full of my own happy secret to stay with the others. I threw open my window wide, that I might look into the dew-fragrant, silvery night and think. It is at such an hour, gnädige frau, when our life-draught is so sweet, that the lieber Gott sees fit to dash it to the ground. "The silver moonbeams poured into my room, and a flood of pale light lit up everything. A letter was lying on my table. I saw the Munich postmark on it, and knew it was from my mother, so let it carelessly lie there a while, that I might not disturb my happy dreaming. "But at last I took it up, lit a candle, and opened it leisurely How little we know when the deathblow is coming to our hopes! This was what I read-I know it by heart: "MY DEAR CHILD-I am lying here sick and alone, never, I smile. "Paul has been telling me,' she said, holding out her hand. "I put the letter in it. I could hardly speak. "Will you read it?' I said. 'I have had bad news.' "Paul sprang toward me, as if to shield me from any earthly evil. His mother read the letter, and I could see the cordial smile die away from her face. "It is sad; it is a terrible change to you, my Fräulein. How could she have been so cheated? She must have acted without advice.' "I saw then that the baronin considered the loss of the money as the great misfortune. I began to understand how it would involve for me the loss of all things worth living for. "Your proper place is with your mother, of course,' she said; 'she will need you, as you have probably decided. As for this boyish affair of Paul's, forget it, like a sensible girl; his father has other views for him.' "The indignant blood sprang into my face, and I could not speak. I turned to leave the room, but Paul seized my hand. "Mother,' he cried, how dare you say such cool, insulting words to my future wife? I am no boy, and I vow before you and before God, I shall call no other woman by that name! What is it to me that she has lost her money? I want her, not the paltry guldens. Mother, are you not ashamed to strike such a blow now?' "I broke away from his detaining hand. Poor, brave, truehearted Paul! I could not bear to see how the loss of the money had altered the aspects of things for me in that pleasant home. I only saw my lover a moment before I left Illok. The I shall love you forever.' next morning, 'Remember,' he whispered, 'I cannot change— homeward journey. They rang in my ears till I drew near my "The words did comfort me, gnädige frau, on that dreary mother's home, then other thoughts took their place. I might find her dead, perhaps. I pictured her at least pale and sinkfind her sitting at the window, with some novel in her hand, ing under some terrible sickness. What was my surprise to looking a shade thinner than usual, but otherwise the same? I could hardly speak. "I thought you were ill,' I said. "Yes, here I am,' she answered, laughing. 'I was ill, but it takes some time to come from Hungary, so you've given me time to get well. When I lost all it made me quite sick. The doctor thought I'd never rally; but now I've taken this floor, and I'm going to let rooms to lodgers. I thought you'd be handy about,' and she added, with some of her old fierceness, 'who should serve me if my own daughter can't?' I "For this, then, she had brought me home; for this reason am here, gnädige frau, waiting and longing for some way of escape, in vain." "And Paul?" I asked. "Oh, Paul is faithful; he writes every week; but what can he do? He has nothing but from his parents, and they are opposed to me. I have nothing. Oh! I wish I could die, often and often." And Terese clinched her hands, and looked out into the dark |