dinner will not take much harm. However, that thou mayest see how
good and honourable my intentions are, take thou my little cap. Be it
the pledge which I shall redeem from thee with a compensation. Only
resolve quickly now whether thou wilt trust me. My time is short.'

"Maud hesitated still. She held the miraculous cap with its silver bell
in her hand. The desire to get rid of the _uncanny_ creature the sooner
the better, and also, perhaps, a particle of female curiosity wrung from
her her consent.

"'Good!' said the little one in great glee. 'Now, hear me! This day
week, upon Whitsun-eve, as ye call it, do thou come here in the evening,
as soon as the moon has mounted this green hill. Be not afraid; for only
good will befall thee. As soon as thou hast reached this spot, ring with
the little bell which I have given thee; and thou wilt not repent having
been serviceable to the good people.'

"Scarcely had the little man given Maud her direction, when the
astonished maiden remarked that the ground before her feet flashed like
molten gold, sunk deeper and deeper, and in this glowing gulf the
extraordinary being vanished, like a silver star. The whole phenomenon
lasted only a few seconds, then every thing was again at rest as before.
The little bell-flower only assured Matilda that she did not dream, and
that something unusual had really taken place.

"Possessed with her feelings, she took her father his meal; and found
him, in sooth, fast asleep under the wall of rock. Of her adventure she
said nothing, but carried the pledge of the little man well secured in
her bosom. And yet how was it possible for her to persevere in her
silence? It is true, Maud knew not if the communication of the incident
was permitted her. She put her trust, however, in the pledge; and, since
she had not been commanded to silence, she hoped to be justified in
making Albert acquainted with what had happened.

"She did it with fear and trembling, and produced to her astonished
lover, as witness, the flower which had withered in the warmth of her
bosom. Singularly enough, let her shake it as often as she would, the
little bell could not be made to ring.

"'And you really mean to go?' asked Albert, when he had a little
recovered from his surprise. 'I should like to see you! To get flirting
with ghosts and hobgoblins, or whatever else the devils may be. No! go
you don't. You will throw that stupid thing into the running stream.
_There_ it won't