ch she had sent me for my kitchen, and then
I dismissed her with the Lord's blessing. In this my first interview
however with the maiden, I had not only perceived in her a refined and
seemly demeanour towards me, and discovered a beautiful conformity of
mind with mine, but I found in the effervescence of my feelings, and
emotions of my heart, an evident token that the spirit of love had been
somehow remarkably busy with me, for during my whole life I had never
experienced such an ardent affection for any maiden.

"This my heartfelt but chaste love, I concealed firmly within my
breast, and let no living soul know aught concerning it. The thought of
this maiden accompanied me every evening to my rest, and rose up with
me in the morning. Sometimes I spoke of her to my housekeeper, who was
a well-bred and discreet woman, and she, without adverting to the
motive of my discourse, extolled the maiden highly to me, and the like
did also my sexton. I tormented myself now with secret love thoughts
for a length of time, but at last spoke out my mind, thinking to
myself: 'Why should thy soul afflict itself fruitlessly concerning a
stranger maiden, who will again leave the country, and who will never
fall to thy lot?'

"Half a year after, the good maiden Mercer had entirely passed from my
remembrance, but the already forgotten maiden sent me an amiable
greeting through the page of the Lord Baron Schlepusch, and signified
to me that she was minded to communicate again. This message renewed
the old wounds of my heart, and therefore I made inquiries of the page
at some length concerning the maiden, with respect to one thing and
another; but could learn little or nothing from him. I then sent an
invitation to dinner on the Sunday through my sexton, to the Mistress
Mercer, but this she did not accept, excusing herself by saying that
she was accustomed to fast the whole of the day on which she
communicated. Thus on Sunday, the maiden, all unconscious of my loving
thoughts, came after church to my house. I gave her then, as before,
the communion, and discoursed with her to the same effect on all kinds
of subjects, to give her thereby some diversion. I would gladly in such
discourse have learnt some particulars as to whether she were noble,
and would like to remain in Silesia, but I could not ask such things
this time. After a while the maiden rose to leave my house; and as she
imagined I had a spouse, commended herself to her. I explained