ble, generous love, but yet, in my crushed heart, I thank
God that I possess it. A time may come when all the thoughts and
feelings which now fill my soul will appear as vain dreams and
illusions. It may be that some day I will look upon life as a grand
delusion, a fruitless striving after happiness and repose. But never,
my brother, never will that time come when I can doubt your faithful,
pure affection. No power, no other feeling, will ever succeed in
supplanting the deep and boundless gratitude which pervades my whole
soul and binds me to you forever."

And then it seemed to him as if he felt the breath of an angel wave
over his face; as if the dream and desire of his whole life had closed
his lips in unexpected bliss; as if the wishes and hopes of his
ardent but resigned heart had been fulfilled, and become a delightful
reality.

When he recovered from this sweet dream, which for a moment robbed him
of his consciousness, Elise had disappeared. But her kiss still glowed
on his lips, and seemed to bless and sanctify his whole life.

This stream of happiness lasted but for a short time, and Bertram soon
awoke, with a sad sigh, from his delightful fancies, to recall the
painful hours he had just gone through, and to say to himself that
Elise was lost to him forever, that he never could hope to rescue that
heart from the lover to whom she had yielded it with all the devotion
of her ardent nature. With a sorrowing heart did he remember the
last words of the lovers. She had appointed a meeting for him on the
morrow, she expected him, and, braving the anger of her father, had
giving him a rendezvous in his house.

As Bertram thought over this, he paced the room up and down, panting
with excitement, and wringing his hands. "If Gotzkowsky knew this, he
would kill her, or die himself of grief. Die of grief!" continued he,
after a pause, completely buried in his sad and bitter thoughts--"it
is not so easy to die of grief. The sad heart is tenacious of life,
and sorrow is but a slow grave-digger. I have heard that one could die
of joy, and it seemed to me just now, when Elise rewarded me with a
kiss, that I could understand this. If she only loved me, it were a
blessing of God to die, conscious of her love."

Completely overcome by his painful thoughts, he remained for a while
motionless and sad. But he soon recovered himself, and shook off the
dark cloud which overshadowed his soul. "I am not born to die such
a death. It