Und suss es ist, in einer schonen Seele,

Verherrlicht uns zu fuhlen, es zu wissen,

Das uns're Fruede fremde Wangen rothet,

Und uns're Angst in fremdem Busen zittert,

Das uns're Leiden fremde Augen nassen."

SCHILLER.

 

 

"How pale!" said Wilhelm the next morning to Otto. "Do you see, that is what people get by night-wandering?"

 

"How so?" inquired Otto.

 

Wilhelm made a jest of it.

 

"You have been dreaming that!" said Otto.

 

"How do you mean?" replied Wilhelm; "will you make me fancy that I have imagined it? I was really quite awake! we really talked about it; I was initiated in it. Actually I have a good mind to give you a moral lecture. If it had been me, how you would have preached!"

 

They were summoned to breakfast. Otto's heart was ready to burst. What might he not have to hear? What must he say?

 

Sophie was much excited.

 

"Did you, gentlemen, hear anything last night?" she inquired. "Have you both slept?"

 

"Yes, certainly," replied Wilhelm, and looked involuntarily at Otto.

 

"The bird is flown, however!" said she; "it has made its escape out of the dove-cote."

 

"What bird?" asked Wilhelm.

 

"Sidsel!" replied she; "and, what is oddest in the whole affair is, that Louise has loosed her wings. Louise is quite up to the romantic. Think only! she went up in the night to the topmost story, unlocked the prison-tower, gave a moral lecture to Sidsel, and after that let her go! Then in the morning comes Louise to mamma, relates the whole affair, and says a many affecting things!"

 

"Yes, I do not understand it," said the mother, addressing Louise. "How you could have had the courage to go up so late at night, and go up to _her_! But it was very beautiful of you! Let her escape! it is, as you say, best that she should. We should all of us have thought of that last evening!"

 

"I was so sorry for her!" said Louise; "and by chance it happened that I had a great many things to arrange after you were all in bed. Everything was so still in the house, it seemed to me as if I could hear Sidsel sigh; certainly it was only my own imagination, but I could do no other than pity her! she was so unfortunate! Thus I let her escape!"

 

"Are you gone mad?" inquired Wilhelm; "what a history is this? Did you go in the night up to the top of the house? That is an unseasonable compassion!"

 

"It was beautiful!" said Otto, bending himself involuntarily, and kissing Louise's hand.

 

"Yes, that is water to his mill!" exclaimed Wilhelm. "I think nothing of such things!"

 

"We will not talk about it to anyone," said the mother. "The steward shall not proceed any further in it. We have recovered the old silver tankard, and the losing that was my greatest trouble. We will thank God that we are well rid of her! Poor thing! she will come to an unfortunate end!"

 

"Are you still unwell, Mr. Thostrup?" said Sophie, and looked at him.

 

"I am a little feverish," replied he. "I will take a very long walk, and then I shall be better."

 

"You should take a few drops," said the lady.

 

"O, he will come to himself yet!" said Wilhelm; "he must take exercise! His is not a dangerous illness."

 

Otto went into the wood. It was to him a temple of God; his heart poured forth a hymn of thanksgiving. Louise had been his good angel. He felt of a truth that she would never betray his secret. His thoughts clung to her with confidence. "Are you still unwell?" Sophie had said. The tones of her voice alone had been like the fragrance of healing herbs; in her eye he had felt sympathy and-- love. "O Sophie!" sighed he. Both sisters were so dear to him.

 

He entered the garden and went along the great avenue; here he met Louise. One might almost have imagined that she had sought for him: there was no one but her to be seen in the whole avenue.

 

Otto pressed her hand to his lips. "You have saved my life!" said he.

 

"Dear Thostrup!" answered she, "do not betray yourself. Yon have come happily out of the affair! Thank God! my little part in it has concealed the whole. For the rest I have a suspicion. Yes, I cannot avoid it. May not the whole be an error? It is possible that she is that which you said! Tell me all that you can let me know. From this seat we can see everybody who comes into the avenue. No one can hear us!"

 

"Yes, to you alone I can confide it!" said Otto; "to you will I tell it."

 

He now related that which we know about the manufactory, which he called the house, in which German Heinrich had first seen him, and had tattooed his initials upon his shoulder; their later meeting in the park, and afterwards by St. Ander's Cross.

 

Louise trembled; her glance rested sympathizingly upon Otto's pale and handsome co............