smiling to Otto. "You must know she has only two books: Mynster's
Sermons, and the 'Wandsbecker Boten.'"

The carriage rolled away through the chestnut avenue. "There upon
the hill, close by the wood, did I act the elf-maiden," said
Sophie. "I was not yet confirmed; there were strangers staying with
us at the hall, and we wandered in the beautiful moonlight through
the wood. Two of my friends and I hastened toward the hill, took
hold of each other's hands and danced in a ring. The day after, two
persons of the congregation told the preacher about three elfin-maidens,
clad in white, who had danced upon the hill in the moonlight. The
elfin-maidens were we; but that our backs were hollow as baking-troughs,
and that the hill glanced like silver, was their own invention."

"And in this oak," exclaimed Wilhelm, "when a boy, I killed the
first bird which fell from my shot. It was a crow, and was very
honorably interred."

"Yes, beneath my sister's weeping-willow," said Sophie. "We buried
it in an old chapeaubras, adorned with white bows; the grave was
decorated with peony-leaves and yellow lilies. Wilhelm, who was
then a big boy, made an oration, and Louise strewed flowers."

"You were little fools!" said the mother. "But see, who comes
here?"

"O, my little Dickie, my dwarf of Kenilworth!" exclaimed Sophie, as
a little hump-backed man, with thin legs and an old face,
approached. He was dressed as a peasant, and bore upon his back a
little knapsack of red calfskin, the hairy side turned outward: in