ering spark, especially when the
word is uttered by your own child; and that in your grief you picture
to yourself the utter ruin of a character that can indulge in such
expressions. I understand you, do I not? Trust in me: I am not so bad,
after all.

"I do not believe in the possessed; and yet there must be something of
that kind. Enough on that point, however. Though I seemed cheerful, I
had a heavy heart; but now I am one of the happiest beings alive; and
if I were obliged to be a wood-cutter for the rest of my days, I could
still content myself. O mother, I would not have believed that I could
have found such a creature in a world in which all others are mere
pretence and _rouge_, lies and deceit.

"She is in perfect health, and as pure and as fresh as a dewdrop.
Although she has learned nothing, she knows everything. She cannot
couch it in words, but her eyes speak it. Her heart is so thoroughly
good,--so strong,--so pure,--indeed, I cannot find the right word for
it. She has no parents, no brothers or sisters. She is a child of the
woods, and as pure and as holy as the primeval forest itself.

"O, forgive me all! I cannot describe my emotions. Now I understand and
believe everything. They tell us that in the olden time, a Prince once
lost his way while hunting in the forest, and that he found a maiden
whom he placed upon his horse and led to his castle and then made her
his queen. Those stories are all true. I cannot make a queen of
Martella, but through her I am ennobled; and it grieves me that it will
not do to have our wedding at once. But I will wait. I can wait. Or, if
you like it better, we will wander forth to America, and, far from the
world, shall live there as our first parents did in Paradise. Believe
me, there is indeed a paradise.

"O mother! You are certainly all that a human being can be, but still
you have one fault;--yes, yes; you have wept--and the first commandment
should be, 'Man, thou shalt not weep.' And, just think of it, mother,
Martella has never yet wept! She is as healthy as a doe, and I swear it
to you, she shall never know what it is to weep. O mother! O father! in
the depths of the forest I have found this pure, innocent child, so
wise and clever, so strong and brave. This flower has blossomed in the
hidden depths of the forest; no human eye had ever seen her before. I
am not worthy of her, but I will try to become so."

His voice became thick. He beat his breast with both hands