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〃But； Louise； it was her free choice to marry him？ You did not persuade her？ you did not； I hope； in order to humor my weakness； induce her by entreaties and representations to marry against her will？〃
〃My friend；〃 said Louise； with the proud air of an injured mother； 〃however fondly I may have loved you； I would not have sacrificed for you the happiness of an only child。 Camilla asked my consent to her marriage after she had obtained her father's permission； and I gave it。 The marriage took place three days after the engagement； and the young pair made a bridal…trip to England； from which they returned a few months since。〃
〃And where are they now？〃
〃They live in Berlin in an enchanting villa； which Lord Elliot has converted into a palace for his young wife。 You will see them this evening； for they are both here； and〃
Louise ceased to speak； a well…known voice interrupted the silence； and drew nearer and nearer。 〃Ah；〃 whispered she； lightly； 〃the proverb is fulfilled； 'Speak of the wolf； and he appears。' That is Lord Elliot and Camilla speaking with such animation。 Let us listen awhile。〃
The youthful pair had now drawn near； and stood just before the grotto。
〃I find it cruel； very cruel； to deny me every innocent pleasure；〃 said Camilla； with a harsh； displeased voice。 〃I must live like a nun who has taken an eternal vow； I am weary of it。〃
〃Oh； my Camilla； you slander yourself when you say this； you are not well； and you must be prudent。 I know you better than you know yourself； my Camilla。 Your heart； which is clear and transparent as crystal； lies ever unveiled before me； and I listen with devout love to its every pulse。 I am sure that you do not wish to dance to…day； my love。〃
〃I wish to dance； and I will dance； because it gives me pleasure。〃
〃Because you are like a sweet child and like the angels；〃 said Lord Elliot； eagerly； 〃your heart is gay and innocent。 You are like a fluttering Cupid； sleeping in flower…cups and dreaming of stars and golden sunshine； you know nothing of earthly and prosaic thoughts。 I must bind your wings； my beauteous butterfly； and hold you down in the dust of this poor； pitiful world。 Wait； only wait till you are well； when your health is restored； you shall be richly repaid for all your present self…denial。 Every day I will procure you new pleasures； prepare you new _fetes_； you shall dance upon carpets of roses like an elfin queen。〃
〃You promise me that？〃 said Camilla； 〃you promise me that you will not prevent my dancing as much and as gayly as I like？〃
〃I promise you all this； Camilla； if you will only not dance now。〃
〃Well；〃 sighed she； 〃I agree to this； but I fear that my cousin； Count Kindar； will be seriously displeased if I suddenly refuse him the dance I promised him。〃
〃He will excuse you； sweetheart； when I beg him to do so；〃 said Lord Elliot； with a soft smile。 〃I will seek him at once； and make your excuses。 Be kind enough to wait for me here； I will return immediately。〃 He kissed her fondly upon the brow； and hastened off。
Camilla looked after him and sighed deeply； then； drawing back the long leaves of the palm； she entered the grotto； she stepped hastily back when she saw that the green divan was occupied； and tried to withdraw； but her mother held her and greeted her kindly。 Camilla laughed aloud。 〃Ah； mother； it appears as if I am to be ever in your way； although I no longer dwell in your house； I still disturb your pleasures。 But I am discreet； let your friend withdraw； I will not see him； I will not know his name； and when my most virtuous husband returns； he will find only two modest gentlewomen。 Go； sir； I will turn away； that I may not see you。〃
〃I rather entreat you； my dear Camilla； to turn your lovely face toward me； and to greet me kindly；〃 said Major du Trouffle； stepping from behind the shadow of the palm； and giving his hand to Camilla。
She gazed at him questioningly； and when at last she recognized him； she burst out into a merry peal of laughter。 〃Truly；〃 said she； 〃my mother had a rendezvous with her husband； and I have disturbed an enchanting marriage chirping。 You have also listened to my married chirp； and know all my secrets。 Well； what do you say； dear stepfather； to my mother having brought me so soon under the coif； and made her wild； foolish little Camilla the wife of a lord？〃
〃I wish you happiness with my whole soul； dear Camilla； and rejoice to hear from your mother that you have made so excellent a choice； and are the wife of so amiable and intellectual a man。〃
〃So； does mamma say that Lord Elliot is all that？ She may be right； I don't understand these things。 I know only that I find his lordship unspeakably wearisome； that I do not understand a word of his intellectual essays； though my lord declares that I know every thing； that I understand every thing； and have a most profound intellect。 Ah； dear stepfather； it is a terrible misfortune to be so adored and worshipped as I am； I am supposed to be an angel； who by some rare accident has fallen upon the earth。〃
〃Truly a misfortune； for which all other women would envy you；〃 said the major； laughing。
〃Then they would make a great mistake；〃 sighed Camilla。 〃I for my part am weary of this homage； I have no desire to be； I will not consent to be an angel； I wish only to be a beautiful； rich young woman and to enjoy my life。 Do what I will； my husband looks at every act of folly from an ideal stand…point； and finds thus new material for worship； he will force me at last to some wild； insane act in order to convince him that I am no angel； but a weak child of earth。〃
〃You were almost in the act of committing such a folly this evening；〃 said her mother； sternly。
〃Ah； you mean that I wished to dance。 But only think； mamma； with whom I wished to dance； with my cousin； whom all the world calls 'the handsome Kindar；' and who dances so gloriously； that it is a delight to see him； and bliss to float about with him。 He only returned this evening； and he came at once to me and greeted me so lovingly； so tenderly； you know； mamma； we have always loved each other fondly。 When I told him I was married； he turned pale and looked at me so sorrowfully； and tears were in his eyes。 Oh； mamma； why was I obliged to wed Lord Elliot； who is so grave； so wise； so learned； so virtuous； and with whom it is ever wearisome？ Why did you not let me wait till Kindar returned； who is so handsome； so gay； so ignorant； before whom I should never have been forced to blush； no matter how foolish I had been； and with whom I should never have been weary？〃
〃But how did you know that the handsome Kindar wished to marry you？〃 said Louise； laughing。
〃Oh； yes； mamma； I knew it well； he has often told me so； even when I was a little girl and he was a cadet。 This dreadful war is the cause of all my misery； it led to his promotion； then he must join his regiment； then； alas！ I must marry another before his return。〃
〃Yes； but a noble； intellectual； and honorable cavalier； who does honor to your choice；〃 said Du Trouffle。
〃Lord Elliot has red hair； squints with both eyes； and is so long and meagre that he looks more like an exclamation…point than a man。 When he appears before me in his yellow…gray riding costume； I am always reminded of the great windspeil you gave me once； stepfather； who had such long； high legs； I used to creep under them； and when he lies like a windspeil at my feet； and squints at me； his eyes seem tied up in knots； and I never know if he is really looking at me； or is about to fall into a swoon。 Now； stepfather； do you not find that Lord Elliot does honor to my taste？〃
〃Certainly； and all the more because your choice proves that you appreciate the true dignity and beauty of a man； and his outward appearance seems to you comparatively insignificant。〃
〃Alas； alas！ now you begin also to attribute noble and exalted motives to me；〃 said Camilla pathetically。 〃No； no； stepfather； I am not so sublime as you think； and I should not have married Lord Elliot if mamma and myself had not both indulged the ardent wish to be released from each other。 Mamma is too young and too beautiful to be willing to have a grown…up daughter who is not ugly by her side； and I was too