eeply affected at the pallid
appearance of his fine manly features struggling with death, as she
imagined, she had watched him with the tender anxiety of a pious mind;
but now she felt he was quite a different object to behold. His eye was
reanimated by a beautiful expression, and it struck Barbelle, young
though she was, that she had never seen the like before. His hair fell
no longer in wild disorder over his forehead; it now hung down his neck
arranged with care and combed into neat curls. The colour had returned
to his cheeks, and his lips were as fresh as cherries on the festivals
of Peter and Paul; and how well did his embroidered silk jacket become
him, and the broad white collar which he had put on over his dress! But
the little girl could not comprehend why he was so much occupied with a
certain white and blue silk scarf; she even thought that he pressed it
to his heart and raised it to his lips, full of the devotion which is
paid to some esteemed relic.

The elderly matron had, in the meantime, satisfied her curiosity in the
examination of her guest, and returned to her culinary occupations.
"The gentleman looks like a prince," she said, as she gave the mess of
oatmeal porridge a stir, "what a jacket he has! no Stuttgardt beau can
boast of a finer one. But what is he always doing with that band he
holds in his hand? He never ceases to look at it. Perhaps there is a
spot of blood on it which he cannot get out?"

"No, that's not it!" said Barbelle, who could now look into the room
with greater ease. "But do you know, mother, what I think? he looks at
it with such ardent eyes, that it must certainly be something from his
love."

The matron could scarcely help smiling at the supposition of her child,
but she soon recover her dignity, and replied, "Ah, what do you know
about love! Such a child as you must not think of the like. Get away
from the window, and fetch me a napkin. The gentleman has been
accustomed to good living, so I must put more melted butter in the
porridge." Barbelle left the window rather in a pet. She knew that she
dare not disobey her mother, but nevertheless thought that she was in
the present instance decidedly in the wrong. For, had she not been in
the habit of joining the other girls of the village for a whole year
past, when they talked and sang of their loves and favourites? Had not
some of her companions, who were only a few weeks older than herself
their appropriate sweethearts? and s