e circumstances
connected with it, his admiration of the knight's noble mind, his
greatness of soul amidst privations and miseries, tears started into
her eyes, she looked up to Heaven as if in the act of imploring God's
protection upon the unhappy man.

The conversation also which he had had with him, and particularly that
part of it in which the exile addressed him as his friend, extolling
his magnanimity for having pledged his faith to serve Wuertemberg,--the
cause of the oppressed and banished,--lighted up the glance of Bertha's
eyes with unusual brilliancy. She gazed on her lover for some time in
silent admiration. The sufferings she had endured since she last saw
him were now effaced by the joy she felt in having him by her side as
the staunch ally of her father. Albert was ashamed to feel his heart
beat quicker at the interest Bertha appeared to take in everything
relating to his new acquaintance. But he had command enough over
himself to conceal his uneasiness from her, whilst his conscience
upbraided him for harbouring the slightest suspicion of her fidelity.

"Albert," she said, "some time hence many a one will envy you this
night's adventure. You may think yourself highly honoured, for it is
not every one that Hans would venture to conduct to the exile."

"You know him, then?" replied the young man, eager to hear from her
what he had failed to elicit from the fifer. "Oh, tell me who he is! I
have seldom seen a man whose features, whose whole bearing, have
acquired such an ascendancy over me? He told me he would at present be
called by no other name than 'the man;' but his arm, whose strength I
have felt, his penetrating look, convince me his name must be renowned
in the world."

"He had a name, indeed, once," she answered, "which could vie with the
most noble in the land. But if he did not tell it you himself, neither
dare I pronounce it, because it would be against my word to do so. You
must exercise your patience a little longer," she added, smiling,
"difficult as it may be to restrain your curiosity."

"But why cannot you tell me," he interrupted her, "are not we one?
Ought we to withhold anything from each other? Come, tell me, who is
the man in the cavern?"

"Do not be angry. Look ye, if it were my secret only, you know I would
not conceal it from you a moment, and you might with justice demand it
of me; but, though I know it would be safe in your keeping, I dare not
tell it,--I cannot break my wo