s of his face
squeezed the tears out of his goggle eyes. Edward who had never yet
seen the sullen creature laugh, shuddered at the sight. When the old
man grew calmer, he told him that he could not possibly now
communicate this wish of his to Herr Balthasar; and that the affair
would probably proceed in the way already settled. He felt glad, when
he had left the room and house behind him, and could again breathe in
the open air. His determination to quit the place was stronger than
ever; he even resolved, if it would hasten his journey, to forgo the
great reward which Herr Balthasar intended for him.

* * * * *

After a restless and almost sleepless night, Edward next morning found
the lovely charming girl on the grass plot before the house. She was
very talkative, but he was in no mood to carry on a conversation.

"O dear mister Edward," said Rose at length; "you don't seem to like
me a morsel any more, you are making such sour faces at me."

"I shall soon be forced to leave you and this country," answered the
young man; "and that makes me so sorrowful."

"You be forced! you leave us!" exclaimed Rose in dismay: "Can there be
anything that should force you? Good heavens! it never yet struck me
that such a thing could be possible. I always thought you belonged to
us, just like the great house in which we live, or the steep green
hill facing us."

"I have now heard from your father also, what I could not have
believed, that you are to marry Herr Eleazar, and that very soon."

"Did not I tell you so?" answered Rose: "Ay, ay, that is to be my
fate, and I only wish I could make the crabbed man a little merrier.
Time will pass away terribly slowly with him. But perhaps I shall then
be able to go to the town some time or other, see a bit of the world,
hear some music and have a dance; for I think at all events an old
husband must do something now and then to please his young wife. And
for all these matters I had counted very much upon you."

"No, my child," said Edward gravely and gloomily; "I am the very last
person you must count upon; for to say the truth, this marriage of
yours is the chief reason that forces me to quit the neighbourhood. It
would break my heart to stay here."

Edward repented of having been hurried so far by his passion, as
thoughtlessly to allow these words to escape his lips; the more so,
when he saw the lovely girl go away from him, starting back as if in
affri