heart to seek one. I
loved him dearly, and it was hard for me to part with him so soon.

"And so a week passed, and then a fortnight, and three whole weeks, and
the evil was growing daily before my eyes; and other eyes saw it too.
At least I heard from Mr. Pierre, that the two counts had been talking
of Stockholm again. Count Henry had insisted on Count Ernest's going at
once, and Count Ernest had begged for time to think about it. After
that the father had taken care that they should be out all day, so that
his son should find no time for the handsome Mamsell Gabrielle. 'C'est
drole,' says Mr. Pierre, the cunning creature; 'if my master were in
love with the girl himself, he could not be more careful of her; but I
would lay my life, that he has not the shadow of a liaison with her. It
would be the first time he ever undertook such a thing, without my
help; and how could he?--in this castle all over ears and eyes! No, I
rather think there must be something deeper in it. The girl's mother,
perhaps, you understand me. But this is strictly between us two,
Mamsell Flor.' All this was puzzling, but the end was very different to
anything my stupid head had thought of.

"One evening in October--by some chance or other there had been no
riding out that day--Count Henry was busy with the steward's accounts,
and Count Ernest had gone out with his gun and his melancholy to the
woods. I heard a strange voice in the court, speaking to one of the
men, and enquiring for Mamsell Grabrielle. She had just gone to the
garden, to cut some dahlias and china-asters for the supper-table. So
down I go, to ask the stranger what he wants with her, and feel quite
pleased to hear it is her brother come from England all the way to see
her. He had a serious, steady, manly way with him, that I rather liked,
though his dress and manner were far below his sister's; indeed his
dress was almost shabby. I gave him a hearty welcome, and told him how
glad the dear girl would be to see him, and led him through the little
postern-gate that opens to the moat and to the garden; and there,
standing among the tall flowers, we saw our Gabrielle. She knew him in
an instant, but, I thought, for a brother and sister who had not met
for years, they were not so very eager about it.

"She turned pale, as though she were going to faint, and he held out
his hand, saying a few words in a tone as if he pitied her. 'It is the
first time they are together since they have be