yes with his eyes, and with a voice of
exaltation thus addressed the unhappy wretch, who seemed to be bearing
in his bosom all the torments of Hell:

"Suppose someone were to come here to you now and say, 'Behold! that
outcast child, whom you wished to think of as dead, nay, or murdered!
whose birth you cursed, and whose death you prayed for, I now give her
back to you!'--how would you feel?"

The sick man there and then drew the youth's hand up to his lips, and
with an effort raised himself up in his bed. His lips were wide open,
his tongue babbled something unintelligible, while Szephalmi regarded
him with amazement, and tugged away at his own hair like one possessed.

The youth put his hand into his bosom and drew forth the little baby's
cap embroidered with rosebuds and forget-me-nots, and held it up before
the two men.

"What if someone were to restore to you the darling wearer of that
little cap? What if I were to tell you that a single consolation still
remained to you, an angel sent from Heaven in whom you could learn to
rejoice once more? What if I were to tell you that she had grown up as
gentle and as beautiful as those angels who are permitted to minister to
the earth?"

At these words the father knelt down at the stranger's feet and kissed
his hands in a transport of joy, while old Hetfalusy, in a sort of
paroxysm threw himself off the bed, made a snatch at the little
pearl-embroidered cap, and exclaimed in a piercing voice:

"Elise!"

The remedy had indeed been efficacious. The old man was actually sitting
up and had recovered the use of his tongue.

The broken-down old man, who had been in a state of collapse, now
violently seized the youth's arm with his still tremulous hand, and
groped his way along it till he was able to touch the little cap with
his lips.

"Elise, Elise, wore that! How beautiful she was!" he cried.

"Where is she?" sobbed Szephalmi, hiding his face in his hands.

"Now she is indeed beautiful. She is in safe hands too. She has found a
loving father who guards her as the apple of his eye. And she is wise as
well as beautiful. Her glorious eyes are as blue as the expanse of
heaven, and radiant with innocence and goodness. Her lips are as small
as wild strawberries, and when she smiles her pretty little face is full
of dimples."

"Yes, yes, she promised to be like that!" stammered Szephalmi, pressing
the stranger's hand to his heart.

But old Hetfalusy was sitting up in b