tenderly. "Look at me! Speak to
me a kind word!"

Then raised Susanna her burning and tear-bathed countenance, saying,
"Oh! how shall I ever be able to thank you?"

"How?" said Harold. "By making me happy, Susanna. By becoming my wife."

Susanna stood up, while she said with as much candour as cordiality,
"God knows best how happy I should feel myself, if I could believe--if
words were spoken for your own sake, and not merely for mine. But, ah! I
cannot do it. I know that it is your generosity and goodness----"

"Generosity? Then am I right generous towards myself. For I assure you,
Susanna, that I never thought more of my own advantage than at this
moment; that I am now as completely egotistical as you could desire."

"And your sister Alette," continued Susanna, with downcast eyes; "I know
that she does not wish to call me her sister, and----"

"And since Alette once was so stupid," said now a friendly female voice,
"therefore is she here to deprecate it." And Alette embraced heartily
the astonished Susanna, whilst she continued--"Oh, Susanna! without you
I should now no longer have a brother. I know you better now, and I have
read in the depths of his heart and know that he can now no longer be
happy but through you. Therefore I implore you, Susanna, implore you
earnestly, to make him happy. Be his wife, Susanna, and be my sister."

"And you, too, Alette," said Susanna, deeply moved; "will you too
mislead me with your sweet words? Ah! could you make me forget that it
is my weakness----that is, I who, through my confession have called
forth---- But that can I never; and therefore can I not believe you, ye
good, ye noble ones! And therefore I implore and adjure you----"

"What fine speeches are making here?" now interrupted a solemn voice,
and Mrs. Astrid stood before the affectionately contending group, and
spoke thus with an assumed sternness. "I will hope that my young
relatives and my daughter Susanna do not take upon them to transact and
to determine important affairs without taking me into the council. But
yes, I perceive by your guilty countenances that this is the fact; and
therefore I shall punish you altogether. Not another word of the
business then till eight days are over; and then I demand and require,
as lady and mistress of this house, that the dispute be brought before
me, and that I have a word to say in the decision. Susanna remains here
in the mean time in safe keeping, and I myself shall unde