so on."

Wolfgang's eye glowed with a strange expression, and I had just opened
my lips to address him, when he vehemently motioned me away with both
hands, and, gazing into the distance, said in an impressive tone, "Yes,
I hear the sound; it came from the blazing fire."

Far above us,
In the heavens,
Hovers now
The darkening cloud.
Still united,
Soon divided;
Now creating,
Now destroying:
Joined divinely,
Fire and water
In its bosom,
Peaceful, dwell.

The youth looked about him as if in ecstasy, and then grasping my hand
in both of his, he said: "Yes, grandfather; daring my illness I saw you
standing in the forest at such a fire. You can ask father--but you
believe me, don't you?"

"Of course."

The countenance of the youth seemed illumined with joy.

We seated ourselves on a bench, and silently gazed at the distant
prospect.

At last Wolfgang spoke. "Grandfather, now I have it. In your forest
garden are your grandson trees. The seed comes from the trees that you
planted. And now I know something. I know it quite positively, but I
can keep it to myself. Father always says that one should not be too
hasty in talking of important things that one intends to do; it is best
to sleep on them first. If one is of the same mind the next morning, it
is all right. I shall tell it you tomorrow, but not to-day. My idea is
a good one, and I think it will please you as much as it does me."

We took up our path, and stopped where some woodcutters were rolling
the trunk of a tree down the mountainside; it bounded over young trees
in its way, and Wolfgang said. "Won't it crush them?"

"Oh, pshaw!" said a wood-cutter, "They'll straighten themselves again.
We have to do the same thing ourselves."

We reached the spot where my woodmen were at work. Wolfgang at once
took hold of an axe and helped them lustily. But here, too, he showed
his good judgment. He was not hasty, as novices usually are, and soon
succeeded in copying the manner of the workmen.

We kept up our walk until we reached the mountain lake. The last time I
had been in this spot was twenty years ago, with Gustava; and now it
seemed as if I were there for the first time in my life.

There lay the lake, surrounded by steep, pine-covered walls; n