till kinder letter of the Count;
he begged for his unknown friend, who would shortly make his
appearance, nothing but permission to show himself, that Miss Dorothea
would deign to become acquainted with him and his sentiments.

To this proposal Dorothea had sent no answer. In her silent grief she
took no heed of time, and her friends were forced to give her notice,
that the day and hour was now come, in which the singular wooer was to
make his appearance. Madame von Halden was present as the female
friend. A team of English horses drove up, a splendid carriage and
servants appeared. Dorothea was in the garden parlour nearly fainting.
Brandenstein stepped in, attired as a bridegroom, in the prime of manly
beauty.

"And your friend?" inquired the mother.

"It is only my dear, beloved Dorothea," replied he, hastening to her,
"from whom I must implore forgiveness for my jest; I am myself the
American, that domain is at last mine, and nothing is wanting to my
happiness but a word from that gentle mouth."

Dorothea bloomed again, looked at him with a tear in her beaming eye,
and stretched out her hand to him. "We shall drive directly, my dear
friends," said he saluting all present, "to the adjoining estate, which
till now belonged to Madame von Halden. I have the marriage license,
the house is in festal trim, the minister is waiting."

Only the bridal wreath was fixed in the maiden's hair, then all got
into the carriage. The Count embraced his bride, and pressed the first
kiss on her lips. "Could I have ventured to hope for such bliss?" said
he, with tears: "Was the love of this pure soul to be my lot? The same
child to become the joy of my life, whom, years ago, sitting by thy
dear father, I rocked on my knees? See, here didst thou take refuge in
despair on that tempestuous night. The minister is waiting for us in
the same room, where thou didst then confide to thy friend that
confession which pierced me like lightning."

Dorothea was so happy, so awakened from pain to delight, that she could
speak but little.--The whole province resounded with the wealth of the
Count, with the wonderful good fortune of the young lady, and all the
neighbourhood witnessed this happy marriage.

When Alfred betrothed himself to Sophia, Baron Wilden also announced
his union with Miss Erhard. To his friends, who expressed their
surprize at it, he replied: "Look you, good folks, solitude and want of
pastime make many things possible; besid