person should attract to himself the society of distinguished women. How far the influence of manliness and dignity extends! O that some persons were not so deficient in these qualities! Yes, confess thy fear. When thou meetest thine Amazon once again, that incomparable woman, thou wilt find in spite of all thy hopes and dreams, that to thy shame and humiliation, she is his bride."

CHAPTER VI.

WILHELM had spent a restless and wearisome afternoon, when towards evening a handsome youth, dressed in a hunting attire, entered his apartment and bowed to him with a smile. "Shall we take a walk ?" he inquired, when Wilhelm instantly recognised Theresa's beautiful eyes.

"You must excuse this appearance of masquerade," she continued, "for unfortunately every thing is now but masquerade! And as I am about to tell you of the times when I was happy in this world, it is my wish to recall those days by every means in my power. Come, then! even the place where we have so often rested from our hunting and our promenades shall contribute its assistance."

They proceeded on their way, whilst Theresa thus addressed her companion: "It is not right that you should let me have all the conversation to myself, you know sufficient of me already, whilst I have learned nothing whatsoever of you. Tell me, therefore, something about yourself, that I may acquire courage to communicate my history to you."

"Alas!" said Wilhelm, I should have nothing to relate but errors and mistakes, heaped one upon another, and I know not from whom I ought rather to conceal the embarrassments into which I have fallen than from you. Your look, and everything about you, your whole deportment and your conduct, convince me that you have enjoyed your past existence, that your fair and pure course of life has been one of uninterrupted progress, that you have not uselessly squandered your time, and that you have no self-reproaches to endure." Theresa smilingly replied, "We shall see if your opinion

will continue the same, when you have heard my bistory." They continued their walk, and Theresa asked him, among other things, "Are you disengaged?" "I believe I am," he answered, "though I could wish it were otherwise." "Good!" she said, "that indicates a complicated romance, and whispers that you have something to relate."

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So saying, they ascended a steep hill, and laid themselves down beneath a large oak tree, which spread its shadow far and wide in direction. every Here, then," said Theresa, "beneath this German tree I will recount to you the history of a German maiden-only hear me with patience.

not

My father was an affluent nobleman of this province, a cheerful, clear, active and intelligent man, a tender parent, an attached friend, and an excellent economist, in whom I could only recognize one fault that he was too compliant towards my mother, who did not know his value. Unfortunately, I must confess this much of my mother. She was sudden, inconstant, and without any affection for her house or for me, her only child; extravagant, but beautiful, intelligent, full of talent, and the charm of the circle which she had attracted round her. Her companions were numerous, nor did she retain them long. For they consisted chiefly of men, as no woman ever felt comfortable in her society, and she could never endure the appearance of the smallest merit in any of her sex. I resembled my father in my outward form, as well as in my disposition. As the young duck runs to the water instantly upon its birth, my earliest attachment was to the kitchen, the store-room, the granaries and the provision cellars. The order and cleanliness of the house, even during my hours of play, seemed to be my principal attraction and my only instinct. This delighted my father, and he gradually gave every encouragement to my early propensities. My mother, on the contrary, did not love me, and made no secret of her aversion.

"As I grew up my own active qualities and my father's love increased. When we were alone, or when we walked through the fields, or when I helped him to examine his accounts, I could perceive his happiness. When I looked into his eyes, I felt as if I were gazing upon myself, for it was in the eyes that our chief resemblance was observable.. But he lost his cheerfulness of expression in the presence of

my mother-he defended me gently when she treated me with injustice and violence, and he would take my part, not as though it were his intention to protect me, but as if he would excuse my good qualities. He offered no opposition to any of her fancies. When, upon one occasion, she was seized with a passion for the stage, a private theatre was immediately erected, and though she easily found men, of all ages and conditions, to take part with her in the performances, there was generally a great deficiency of actresses. Lydia, at that time a pretty girl, who had been brought up with me, and who from her earliest years had promised to be extremely beautiful, was induced to take the secondary parts-an old chamber-maid played the mothers and aunts, whilst my mother reserved for herself all the principal heroines, the lovers and the shepherdesses of every kind. I cannot describe the strange effect which was produced upon me to see the performers, whom I knew so intimately, disguised and standing on the stage, and passing for something else than what they really were. I could recognize in them no other persons than Lydia or my mother, this baron or that secretary, whether they appeared in the disguise of princes, counts or peasants, and I could never conceive how they could expect me to believe that they were sad or happy, in love or in despair, liberal or parsimonious, when I so often knew the very contrary to be the case. On this account, I seldom formed one of the spectators. I employed myself, however, in snuffing the candles, that I might not be wholly unoccupied. I prepared the supper, and in the morning, whilst the actors were still asleep, I arranged their dresses-which I generally found that they had left in confusion and disorder.

"Though my mother approved of my activity, I could not win her love. She despised me, and I heard her more than once exclaim with bitterness,' If the mother were not better known than the father, this girl would scarcely be taken for my daughter.' I must acknowledge that her treatment of me gradually estranged my affections-I regarded her actions as I would have done those of a stranger; and as I was accustomed to watch our servants like a hawk (and let me observe, that herein lies the essence of all housekeeping) I naturally paid particular attention to the motions of my

mother and her friends. It was quite evident that she did not regard all men with indifferent eyes. I watched more closely, and soon observed that Lydia was her confidant, and that she had thus been made more intimately acquainted with a passion, which, from her earliest years, she had so often represented. I was acquainted with all her assignations, but I concealed them from my father, as I was afraid of being the occasion to him of severe distress, but at length I was compelled to speak out. Some of their plans could not be accomplished, without bribes previously distributed amongst the servants. The latter, therefore, soon became disrespectful, they neglected my father's orders, and refused to obey my commands, and as the confusion which ensued was insupportable, I discovered everything to my father.

"He listened to me patiently. My good child!' he said at length, with a smile, I know it all. But be calm-have patience since it is only for your sake that I endure it.'

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"I was not calm, I was not patient-I condemned my father in my own mind, for I thought that nothing should have induced him to submit to such conduct. I insisted that order should be maintained in the household, and I was determined that the present state of things should not continue. My mother had a large private fortune, but she was more extravagant than she ought to have been; and I had observed that this circumstance had occasioned some disagreements between my parents. These lasted for a considerable time, until at length the passions of my mother brought the evil to a climax.

"Her first lover was glaringly untrue, whereupon she became disgusted with her house, as well as with the entire neighbourhood, and with her own condition. She wished to retire to a different residence--there she was too lonely-she removed to town-there she did not think herself sufficiently appreciated. I know not what occurred afterwards between her and my father; but, suffice it to say, that it was at length determined, under certain conditions, with which I am unacquainted, that she should take a journey to the south of France.

"We were now free, and lived as if we were denizens of Paradise ; and I do not think my father would have been a loser, even if he had purchased her absence with a consider

able sum. Our useless servants were dismissed, fortune seemed to smile upon our efforts; we had several good years in succession, and all things prospered according to our wishes. But, unfortunately, this happiness was but of short duration; my father was suddenly seized with palsy, which attacked his right side, and deprived him of the power of speech. We were obliged to guess at every thing he wanted, for he could never express the words which he intended to utter. Oftentimes this was to me fearfully distressing, particularly upon occasions when he insisted upon being left alone with me.—he would signify, by violent gestures, that every other person should retire; but when we were left together, he found himself unable to express his thoughts. His impatience then became extreme, and his distress was deeply afflicting. This much seemed certain-that there was something which he was anxious to confide to me of the utmost importance to myself. I cannot express the anxiety which I felt to know it. Formerly I could see his wishes in his eyes-but this was no longer the case. His eyes no longer spoke. And yet he needed nothing-he wanted nothing-but he was anxious to acquaint me with something which I could not understand. His infirmity gradually increased; and in a short time he became wholly inactive and insensible; and shortly afterwards he died.

"I know not how it happened, but I became convinced that my father had concealed a valuable treasure somewhere, which he had been anxious to bequeath to me rather than to my mother. I made active search for it during his life-time, but I found nothing; and after his death every thing was put under seal. I wrote to my mother, and offered to remain in the house as her agent, but she rejected my offer, and I was obliged to take my departure. My father's will was now produced, by which my mother succeeded to the possession and enjoyment of every thing, and I was left dependent upon her during her life. And now, for the first time, I thought that I could understand my father's object. I pitied his weakness, in allowing himself to act so unjustly towards me. Some of my friends wished me to contest the will, saying, that it was little better than if he had disinherited me; but I was unwilling to take this step. I respected my father's memory too highly-I confided in my destiny-I confided in myself.