this will, I fear, cause you much pain at first, if my understanding
of you is at all correct.

"Yesterday Eric was at last accepted by Elisabeth, after having twice
proposed in vain during the last three months. She had never been able
to make up her mind to it, but now in the end she has done so. To my
mind she is still far too young. The wedding is to take place soon,
and her mother means to go away with them."

* * * * *




IMMENSEE



Again years have passed. One warm afternoon in spring a young man,
whose sunburnt face was the picture of health, was walking along a
shady road through the wood leading down to the valley below.

His grave dark eyes looked intently into the distance, as though he
was expecting to find every moment some change in the monotony of the
road, a change however which seemed reluctant to come about. At length
he saw a cart slowly coming up from below.

"Hullo! my friend," shouted the traveller to the farmer, who was
walking by the side of the cart, "is this the right road to Immensee?"