upon devoting all the force and freedom of his emancipated spirit to the realization of his long cherished desire, viz. to embody for the stage all that is good and great and noble in life.

CHAPTER V.

The

"You

On the following day when the rope dancers had taken their departure amid great display and parade, Mignon once more made her appearance and entered the apartment where Wilhelm and Laertes were engaged in fencing. "Where have you been concealed?" inquired the former in a kind tone, "you have occasioned us much anxiety." child made no answer but fixed her eyes upon him. belong to us now," said Laertes, " we have bought you.' “How much have you paid for me ?" asked the child with great composure. "One hundred crowns," replied Laertes, "when you repay them, shall have your freedom." it much?" inquired the child. "O yes ! but you must now behave yourself well." "I will be your servant," she replied.

you

"Is

From that instant she paid particular attention to the duties which the waiter had to perform for her two friends, and on the following day she would not allow him to enter the apartment any more. She insisted upon doing every thing herself, and though she was neither quick nor skilful, she was accurate and careful in all that she performed.

Placing herself frequently before a bason of water, she was accustomed to wash her face with so much violence as to rub the skin from her cheeks. In reply to Laertes' questions, she stated that she was anxious to wash off the rouge, and that in her wish to succeed, she had mistaken the redness which the rubbing had occasioned for the most obstinate dye. She was informed of her error and did it no more, and after a little time she acquired the natural complexion of a beautiful brunette enlivened with a rosy tint.

Engaged in this society, excited no less by the dangerous charms of Philina than by the mysterious presence of this

He

child, Wilhelm's mind was for many days more strongly agitated than he himself would venture to confess. endeavoured, however, to stifle the reproaches of his conscience by engaging actively in the exercises of fencing and dancing, accomplishments for which he might not perhaps easily find so convenient an opportunity.

He was not a little surprised and gratified when one day Herr Melina and his wife arrived at the hotel. Having exchanged the first cheerful salutations, they inquired about the lady who had undertaken the duties of manager, as well as about the rest of the company. He learnt to his great dismay that the former had long since left the place and that the company had almost broken up.

After their marriage, a step to which as we are aware Wilhelm had contributed his assistance, they had visited many places in search of an engagement, but without success, and had at length been directed to this little town, as some persons, whom they had accidentally met, informed them that there was a good theatre in the place.

Philina was not much taken with Madame Melina, when they came to know each other, nor indeed was the animated Laertes particularly pleased with her husband. They wished to give up the acquaintance of these strangers, and Wilhelm was unable to change their feelings in this point, though he assured them repeatedly that the Melinas were very worthy people.

To say the truth, the cheerful life of our three friends was affected in more ways than one by this enlargement of their circle. Melina, who had established himself in the same hotel with Philina, commenced a disagreeable system of bargaining for what he wanted. He insisted upon having more luxurious fare, as well as better accommodation and attendance at a cheaper rate. Before long, the landlord and the waiters grew thoroughly dissatisfied, for Wilhelm and his two acquaintances being disposed for happiness, had never expressed discontent with any thing, and had always paid their account for peace sake, but Melina now undertook the arrangement of all the meals and diligently scrutinized the bill of fare before hand, for which reason Philina, without much considering the consequences, bestowed upon him the name of the ruminating animal.

But Madame Melina was an object of special dislike to the merry, thoughtless Philina. She was a woman possessing a certain amount of education, but was sadly deficient in spirit and in soul. Her talent for declamation was considerable, and she was always declaming, but you could easily see that her performance was a mere recitation of words, and though she was effective in some passages, she failed in expressing the full force and passion of the character she represented. But she was notwithstanding a general favourite, particularly with the men. Indeed her intimate friends considered her to possess a fine understanding, and I might say without error that she was a general sympathizer in the emotions of all people. She well knew how to flatter a friend, whose favour she wished to obtain, she could agree in the justice of his views as far as possible, and when they extended beyond the limits of her horizon, she never failed to welcome with extasy, the appearance of such new and brilliant visions. She thoroughly understood the proper times for speaking and for maintaining silence, and though her disposition was wholly free from malice, she could detect with astonishing skill the secret of another's weakness.

CHAPTER VI.

MELINA had in the mean time sought information about the scattered wrecks of the late theatre. The decorations and the wardrobe had been deposited with several tradespeople as security for debts, and a notary had received instructions from the directress to make a speedy sale of them, under certain conditions. Melina was anxious to inspect these stores, and took. Wilhelm along with him, for the purpose. Upon opening the room where they were collected a certain indescribable sensation came over Wilhelm which he felt unwilling to acknowledge even to himself. Notwithstanding the tarnished state of the ornaments and wardrobe, and of the Turkish and heathen dresses, of the old farce-coats for the actors and actresses, and of the cowls

for monks, Jews and enchanters, he could not help feeling that those were the very happiest moments of his life which he had spent amid similar frippery. If Melina could have known the secret emotions which were working at his heart, he would have pressed him more earnestly to expend a sum of money in purchasing this collection of scattered fragments, in arranging them anew, and of framing them into a beautiful whole. "What a happy mortal," exclaimed Melina, "should I esteem myself, if I possessed but two hundred dollars and could obtain these essentials for the commencement of a theatrical speculation. I should soon be able to open a little theatre in this very town and neighbourhood, quite sufficient to supply all our wants." Wilhelm was silent-and both buried in thought, left the treasures to be once more placed under lock and key.

From this time Melina's whole conversation consisted of projects and plans for the establishment of a theatre and turning it to a profitable account. He endeavoured to interest Philina and Laertes in his scheme, and proposed that Wilhelm should advance a sum of money for the purpose on security. It now occurred to him for the first time that he had too long delayed his departure from this place, but he found convenient excuses for his procrastination, and determined to make preparations for the continuance of his journey.

In the mean time Mignon's personal appearance and disposition were becoming more and more attractive to him, although her whole conduct was singular and mysterious. In ascending or descending the stairs, she never walked, but always bounded along. She would spring forward by the banisters, reach the landing place before you could be aware of her intention, and then quietly take her seat. Wilhelm moreover remarked that she adopted a different kind of salute towards every individual. When saluting him of late she always crossed her arms upon her breast. She frequently remained quite silent for an entire day, sometimes however she answered more readily, but in so strange a way as if to leave it doubtful whether her peculiarity arose from shrewdness or from ignorance of the language, as she generally expressed herself in broken German intermingled with French and Italian. In her attentions

to Wilhelm she was unwearied, rising at the first dawn of day, but she retired early in the evening, sleeping in a little room upon the bare floor, and she could not be persuaded to use either a bed or a straw mattress. He often found her washing herself. In her attire she was cleanly, and her clothes were quilted in double and treble folds. He was informed that she was accustomed to attend mass every morning at an early hour. More than once he followed her thither and watched her as she retired to a corner of the church, whilst with her rosary in her hand she sank down upon her knees and prayed devoutly. She had never noticed him, and upon his return home he became lost in thought about this strange apparition, but was unable to arrive at any certain conclusion about her.

A new application from Melina for a sum of money to purchase the theatrical wardrobe, which formed the never-ending subject of his conversation, determined Wilhelm once more to think of his departure. He resolved, therefore, to write to his friends by the next post, as they had not heard from him for a long time. In fact he had commenced a letter to Werner, and had proceeded to narrate his adventures, in the course of which he had somewhat unintentionally wandered a little from the truth, when to his mortification he found that one side of his letter was already filled with some verses which he had copied from his album for Madame Melina. In his vexation he tore up the letter, and postponed the repetition of his adventures till the following day.

CHAPTER VII.

OUR party was once more assembled together, when Philina who attentively watched every horse and carriage that passed before the house, exclaimed in a state of great excitement, "Our Pedant! here comes our darling Pedant! Who can he have with him ?" She called to him, and nodded from the window, and the carriage immediately drew up.