f sour milk and cutting bread and spreading butter on it. To
themselves they thought, "There, Frau Sperber will be waiting supper
for us!" But they saw in their minds the good-natured friendly face of
the old woman who, they knew, would not begrudge them their pleasure,
and they said to themselves, "Who knows? When we get back there,
perhaps well be hungry enough again to eat what she's got for us."

When they had finished their supper, the most natural thing was to
begin to dance under the blossom-laden lime-tree. It needed no long
discussion to decide on this.

"Off you go!" cried Roese. The couples paired off; singing or humming a
tune, they swung round on the firm gravel. Tubby ran into the house
when it began to grow dark and brought out a stable-lantern; for under
the trees the light had faded when it was still only twilight in the
garden. Then came the glow-worms and crawled about among the perfumed
branches. The young creatures caught each other's hands and danced in
circles under the dark old tree, now to the right, now to the left,
without tiring.

They were drawn to each other by the most delightful harmony. The
still, peaceful garden around them, the fragrant, sheltering tree and
the beaming lantern in whose rays young charms shone resplendent, all
made for happiness. They spoke and laughed little. A great, sacred
bliss spread through them all. The lonely maiden whom the merry friends
had drawn into their circle was flooded with an almost unearthly joy.

That was her first dance, this silent, blissful circling under the
trees, first right, then left, as long as their strength held out. It
was a dance in praise of God's goodness, of beauty on earth and of the
wonder of youth. It seemed they could never really tire of it; and they
all knew that they had loved each other from childhood. "Oh, it's
lovely!" said Roese.

Herr and Frau Sperber had come over to see what had become of the
fugitives, and were standing at a little distance, not wishing to break
in upon the sacred dance. Frau Kummerfelden, who now and then spent the
week-end in summer with them--for the Sperbers' hospitality was
boundless--had come with them.

The three old people stood motionless. "Ah ... yes!" said good Herr
Sperber; and if he had made a long speech on all the joy and all the
sorrow of this mysterious earth, it could not have been deeper or more
expressive. The old Kummerfelden said to herself, "You dear good
Sperber, I should