rom shooting, she looked
at the ham, the butter, and eggs, with considerable complacency, as if
grateful to them for possessing the excellent property of nourishing
and strengthening man.

These articles of food could not speak, or make any observations in
return; but the maid being pretty well aware that her mistress liked to
talk of her brother, said, "What a handsome, grand gentleman your
brother is, ma'am. When he arrived yesterday evening I really thought
he was the Prince who drove through here last winter, on his way to
shoot;" and the maid gave her own face a good rub with her apron, to
make it look as well as possible. "I was so glad we happened to have
killed a goose," added she, giving an affectionate look at the
slaughtered victim, hanging outside the kitchen window.

Brother Edward returned home about ten o'clock. The Pastorin warned him
that her husband was still asleep, and he placed his gun as gently in
the corner as if it had been made of cotton. Her brother's good
appetite pleased the Pastorin, who seated herself with her embroidery
beside Edward, and told him the Pastor's adventures. He, in return,
said he had shot nothing, for he felt quite sure he had got on the
track of the wolf; but he lost all traces of the animal in a ravine, as
he was afraid of venturing to descend into it alone. He had gone as far
as the forest mill, and described with much enthusiasm the grand and
striking aspect of the landscape, the waterfalls all frozen, and the
rocks glittering like finely cut crystal. The more awe inspiring and
imposing the young man delineated the scene without, the more snug and
comfortable did the room appear within. And the brother and sister
talked to each other with the same quiet ease with which the heat
diffused itself through the room: the pendulum of the clock and the
crackling of the wood in the stove were more audible than their voices.
Gentle flakes of snow were falling slowly and quietly outside,
fluttering in the air as if in play, making the room within seem even
more comfortable than usual.

"I have still an adventure to relate to you," recommenced Edward.

"Won't you wait till my husband is awake, so that you may not have to
tell it twice over?"

"No; I wish you alone to hear it, and you must promise me secresy. I
was standing behind a bush, not far from the forest mill, on the
watch, for I thought the wolf would be sure to appear again, when I saw
two girls coming along the path.