loves talking; the fingers may go whilst the tongue is most busy.

"Ella would have gone on without noticing Madame Kamp, but Heister had
no mind that she should.

"'Good evening, Ella Stolberg,' she cried, 'whither away in such
haste?--but I know, to Madame Eversil's. Can't you stop a minute? I
have a word to say to you.'

"Ella stopped, though not willingly.

"'You look very bright and fair this evening, Ella,' said the cunning
woman; 'and that garland hanging from your basket would be an ornament
to Saint Flora herself; whose fancy was that, my girl? But it is a
shame, Ella, that such a girl as you should be employed in getting up
other people's linen--you above all, when there is no manner of
necessity for it. I am much mistaken,' she added, with a cunning look,
'if there are not more gold-fish in your father's net than ever found
their way into mine.'

"Ella was a little startled at this speech, and felt herself getting
redder than she wished. She suddenly caught at her basket, brought it
down from her head, and said, 'What garland is it you mean, neighbour?'
and she busied herself in arranging the flowers again.

"'Well, but the fish, Ella--the silver and golden fish in the net,'
said Heister, 'what have you to say about them?'

"Ella placed the basket on her head as she replied gaily:

"'If there are gold and silver fish in plenty in the Hartsberg lakes,
neighbour, it is but fair that they should sometimes be caught in nets.
Fishes have no reason to guide them from danger; they are easily caught
in nets. I must not, then, take example from them, else I shall, too,
some day, perhaps, be caught. Jacques lays many a snare or nets for the
birds of the mountains,' she added, as if to turn the conversation;
'and once Margot found a young one caught, but she cried so bitterly
about it that we took it home and nursed it till it got well. Did you
ever see our starling, neighbour?'

"'A pretty turn off!' said Heister; 'but you know that I mean the gold
and silver fish to be louis-d'ors and francs, Ella. Has not your father
now, girl, got more of these than he ever had in his life before?'

"'I know this,' replied Ella, calmly, 'that I do firmly believe that my
father never was so short of money as he is now: and this reminds me I
must not linger, as I promised Madame Eversil a portion of her linen
to-day: so good-evening, madame.'

"Heister looked after Ella as she walked away, and muttered:

"'The saucy cu