y air," said Otto; "the
contrast in this case brings forth the strongest effect!"

The servant now entered, and said with a smile that Peter Cripple, the
"new-married man," as he called him, was without and wished to speak to
the Baron Wilhelm.

"It is about a waltz," said he, "which the Baron had promised to him!"

"It is late for him to come into the court!" said Sophie "the peasants
generally go to bed with the sun."

In the lobby stood the announced Peter in his stocking-feet, with his
hat in one hand and a great stick in the other. He knew, he said, that
it was still daytime with the gentlefolks; he was just coming past the
hall and thought that he could, perhaps, have that Copenhagen Waltz
which the Baron had promised him: he should want it to-morrow night
to play at a wedding, and, therefore, he wished to have it now that he
might practice it first of all.

Sophie inquired after his young wife, and said something merry. Louise
gave him a cup of tea, which he drank in the lobby. Otto looked at him
through the open door; he made comical grimaces, and looked almost as
if he wished to speak with him. Otto approached him, and Peter thrust
a piece of paper into his hand, making at the same time a significant
gesture indicative of silence.

Otto stepped aside and examined the dirty piece of paper, which was
folded together like a powder and sealed with a lump of wax. On the
outside stood, in scarcely legible characters,

"TotH' WeL-borne,
Mr. Odto Tustraab."

He endeavored, in the first place, to read it in the moonlight; but that
was scarcely possible.

After considerable labor he made out the meaning of this letter,
written, as it was in a half-German, half-Danish gibberish, of the
orthography of which we have given a specimen in the direction. The
letter was from the German Heinrich. He besought Otto to meet him this
evening in the wood near Peter Cripple's house, and he would give to him
an explanation which should be worth the trouble of the walk. It would
occasion, he said, much trouble and much misery to Mr Thostrup if he did
not go.

A strange anxiety penetrated Otto. How could he steal away without being
missed? and yet go he both must and should. An extraordinary anxiety
drove him forth.

"Yes, the sooner the better!" said he, hastening down the steps and
leaping in haste over the low garden-fence lest the gate should,
perhaps, make a noise. He was very soon in the wood