to sustain me in this fearful hour."

Old Trude peeped through the half-closed door, well satisfied to see her
dear young lady folded in Moritz's arms, and her head leaning upon his
shoulder. "Yes," she murmured, closing softly the door, "Marie is right,
God himself sent her lover in this hour, and I would not let her wicked,
hard-hearted parents send him away."

Quick as thought she turned the key, fastening the door, and betook
herself to the farthest room, carefully closing every door between them.
"Now we will see for once whether they will show him the door, and pitch
him out. No, they will be obliged to listen to him. Old Trude wishes it,
for it will make her dear Marie happy. It is all the same to me if the
old German tries to scratch my eyes out for it; I will take good care to
keep out of his way. I must go and listen once."

She put her ear to the keyhole, and then her eye, to see how the
quarrellers looked.

At first the general and his wife were quite alarmed, and almost
speechless as they witnessed the joyful meeting of the lovers. The
father sprang up suddenly, with clinched fist, but instead of bitter
invectives only a fearful shriek of pain was heard, as he sank groaning
and whimpering into his armchair. The gout had again seized its victim.
Anger had excited the general's blood, and had also brought on the pain
in his leg again. His wife took no notice of his cries and groans, for
it was quite as agreeable to her to be the only speaker, and have her
moaning husband a kind of assenting chorus. "Leave each other!" she
commanded, as she approached the lovers, flourishing her long shrivelled
arms about. "Leave each other, and leave my house!"

Laying her hand on Marie's arm, which was thrown around her lover's
neck, she endeavored to tear her away, and draw her daughter toward
herself. But Marie clung only the more firmly, and Moritz pressed her
more fervently to his heart. They heeded not and heard not the outburst
of anger which the mother gave way to. They read in each other's eyes
the bliss, the joy of meeting again, and the assurance of constant,
imperishable love.

"You are pale and thin, my beloved!"

"Sorrow for you is consuming me, Marie, but, thank Heaven, you are
unchanged, and beautiful as ever!"

"Hope and love have consoled and strengthened me, Philip."

"Enough! I forbid you to speak another word to each other," and with the
power which rage lends, the mother tore Marie away. "Herr