e?"

"Alas! sir, age has nothing to do with necessity. I have neither father
nor mother. My brother is a poor lieutenant who cannot help me; what can
I do? I can only get a livelihood by turning my good education to
account."

"What will your salary be?"

"Fifty wretched crowns, enough to buy my dresses."

"It's very little."

"It is as much as people give."

"Where are you living now?"

"With a poor aunt, where I can scarce earn enough bread to keep me alive
by sewing from morning till night."

"If you liked to become my governess instead of becoming a children's
governess, I would give you fifty crowns, not per year, but per month."

"Your governess? Governess to your family, you mean, I suppose?"

"I have no family; I am a bachelor, and I spend my time in travelling. I
leave at five o'clock to-morrow morning for Dresden, and if you like to
come with me there is a place for you in my carriage. I am staying at
such an inn. Come there with your trunk, and we will start together."

"You are joking; besides, I don't know you."

"I am not jesting; and we should get to know each other perfectly well in
twenty-four hours; that is ample time."

My serious air convinced the girl that I was not laughing at her; but she
was still very much astonished, while I was very much astonished to find
I had gone so far when I had only intended to joke. In trying to win over
the girl I had won over myself. It seemed to me a rare adventure, and I
was delighted to see that she was giving it her serious attention by the
side-glances she kept casting in my direction to see if I was laughing at
her. I began to think that fate had brought us together that I might
become the architect of her fortune. I had no doubt whatever as to her
goodness or her feelings for me, for she completely infatuated my
judgment. To put the finishing stroke on the affair I drew out two ducats
and gave them her as an earnest of her first month's wages. She took them
timidly, but seemed convinced that I was not imposing on her.

By this time the baroness was ready, and she welcomed me very kindly; but
I said I could not accept her invitation to dine with her the following
day, as I was leaving at day-break. I replied to all the questions that a
fond mother makes concerning her son, and then took leave of the worthy
lady. As I went out I noticed that the would-be governess had
disappeared. The rest of the day I spent with the canon, making good
cheer, pl