So an old gentleman--I could easily name him, but that has nothing
to do with the affair--a very distinguished man in the city, who
has, besides, a wife and children, had said all sorts of things to
her parents; and, as eight hundred dollars is a deal of money to
poor people, one can excuse them: but Eva wept, and said she would
rather spring into the castle-ditch. They represented all sorts of
things to the poor girl; she heard of the service out here with us.
She wept, kissed my old woman's hand, and thus came to us; and
since then we have had a deal of service from Eva, and joy also!"

Some minutes after Eva stepped in, Otto's eye rested with a
melancholy expression upon the beautiful form: never had he before
so gazed upon a woman. Her countenance was extraordinarily fine,
her nose and forehead nobly formed, the eyebrows dark, and in the
dark-blue eyes lay something pensive, yet happy: one might employ
the Homeric expression, "smiling through tears," to describe this
look. She announced that the carriage was ready.

A keen observer would soon have remarked what a change the host's
relation had worked in the two friends. Wilhelm was no longer so
free toward poor Eva. Otto, on the contrary, approached her more,--
and at their leave-taking they offered her a greater present than
they would otherwise have given.

She stood with Otto at the door, and assisted him on with his
travelling cloak.

"Preserve your heart pure!" said he, gravely; "that is more than
beauty!"