ease
thee so very much?" asked the father.

"Not merely on that account," said Eveline, "but because I should like
to make a good marriage, and such, as I have heard, one does not
frequently meet with. But with our Martin I should be perfectly happy,
and he behaves himself already quite as if he were your son. And I,
when I say to him, Martin! sit thee down here by me! Get up again!
Fetch that flower there for me! Now tell me something! or, Go away, I
should now like to be alone awhile! thus he does everything so exactly
at a signal, as I have never before seen. Neither Martha nor Joseph,
and least of all the old obstinate Frantz, that was eternally scolding,
would thus have obeyed me at a word; with such a smart, well-dressed,
sensible husband, the thing might turn out worse, and therefore I will
choose Martin, if you will allow me." "But he is only a servant," said
the Counsellor. "You have said yourself," prattled the child, "that
there was something in his appearance more than ordinary. He is
certainly the son of respectable people; through the rebellion we too
have fallen into misery, and it may be worse with us yet, one must
therefore look about by times for help."

"And if he will not have you?"

"I have already asked him this morning, then he laughed out quite loud,
what I had never seen him do before, but afterwards he became quite
grave again, sighed, and kissed me on the forehead. That I think is
quite answer enough."

In the little garden under the trellaced bower, they found Godfred and
the tall Dubois sitting at the oaken table; the wife was busy in the
kitchen. They sat down by them both; the musician was at that moment in
the midst of a lively performance. "Do you hear, gossip," cried he,
"the sound when I press and keep it down, do you know what that means?"

"Yes," said Godfrey, "it is pretty enough." "Well, attend," said
Dubois, "how I now pass over and strike the quaver, which afterwards
quivers in the deep tones, and how in the mean while my hand works here
in the bass. You now understand this many-voiced composition? Listen!
see, that is what I call fundamental composition."

"Yes, it is pretty," said Godfred--"he can now move all his paws."

"Do not think of your stupid dog," exclaimed Dubois, "you will not
often be so fortunate as to hear a sonata of Lulli. Collect your
thoughts well together. Hist! now we are passing over suddenly to the
flats? St! do you hear? Ah! the passage is exquisi