, and I
now swear by the water of this clear spring, that if thou hereafter
shalt oppose me beyond the power of my mind to bear, I will silence
thee, and compel thee to hold thy peace in this manner----"

The doves, attracted by some wonderful sympathy, now flew rapidly down
upon the head and shoulders of the young couple. All strife was hushed,
and you might hear the soft and playful murmur of the spring, which
seemed to whisper about--what?

Oh, heaven-azure well,
Say what thou now didst see!

The well whispered--

By a kiss--two disputants
United happily!

"Aha! here we have them!" exclaimed a merry voice, a little way behind
the two who were kissing; "but I must tell you that it is not polite
thus to leave your guests, to----"

"Come, Susanna," interposed Alette, smiling, whilst she took the arm of
the deeply blushing Susanna, "come, and let us leave these egotistical
gentlemen, who always will be waited upon, to themselves a little. It
does them an infinite deal of good. We will in the mean time go
together, and open our hearts to each other about them."

"Sweet Alette!" said Susanna, glad in this way to be released from
Brother-in-law Lexow's jokes, "how happy it makes me to see you so gay
and healthy, spite of your residence up in the North, which you feared
so much."

"Ah!" said Alette, softly and sincerely, "a husband like my Lexow can
make summer and happiness blossom forth all over the earth; but----" and
now again the melancholy expression crept over Alette's countenance; but
she constrained herself, and continued joyfully, "but we need not now
hold forth in praise of these good gentlemen, who, I observe, have
nothing better to do than to come and listen to us; and therefore--(and
here Alette raised her voice significantly)--since we have done with my
dear husband, we will give yours his well-merited share. Has he not
shockingly many faults? Is he not--between us two--selfish and
despotic?"

"That I deny!" exclaimed Harald, as he sprang forward, and placed
himself before Susanna; "and thou, my wife, contradict it if
thou--dare."

"Dare!" exclaimed Alette; "she must dare it, for you strengthen my word
by your deed. Is he not a despot, Susanna?"

"Am I a despot, Susanna? I say a thousand times 'No!' thereto. What dost
thou say?"

"I say--nothing," said Susanna, blushing, with a graceful movement, and
drew closer to Alette; "but--I think what I will."

"It is good, however," cried Ha