a sweet assent.
The friendly gloom of eve, and the overarching foliage, beneath whose
shade the momentous question was put, saved her the necessity of
practising upon her lungs to produce a blush. Mamma Sendel had bestowed
her blessing upon the happy pair, and in the ardour of her maternal
accolades had nearly extinguished her future son-in-law's left ogle with
the wire stalk of an artificial passion-flower. The first burst of
benevolence over, and the effervescence of feeling a little subsided,
the bridegroom elect, who could not afford delays, pressed for an early
day. Thereupon Emilie was, of course, horror-stricken, but her maternal
relative, nothing loath to land the fish thus satisfactorily hooked, and
well aware of the impediments that sometimes arise between cup and lip,
ranged herself upon the side of the eager lover, and their combined
forces bore down all opposition. Madame Sendel at first showed an
evident hankering after a preliminary jaunt to Amsterdam and a gay
wedding, graced by the presence of the bridegroom's numerous and wealthy
family. She also testified some anxiety as to the view Van Haubitz
Senior might take of his son's matrimonial project, and as to how far he
might approve of a hasty and unceremonious wedding. But the gallant
artilleryman had an answer to every thing. He pledged himself, which he
was perfectly safe in doing, that his father would not attempt in the
slightest degree to control his inclinations or interfere with his
projects, extolled the delights of an autumnal tour with his wife and
mother-in-law before returning to Holland; in short, was so plausible in
his arguments, so specious and pressing, pleading so eloquently the
violence of his love and inutility of delay, and overruling objections
with such cogent reasoning, that he achieved a complete triumph, and it
was agreed that in one week Van Haubitz should lead his adored Emilie to
the hymeneal altar. In the interval, he would have abundant time to
obtain his father's consent and the necessary papers from Amsterdam--all
of which he doubted not he should most satisfactorily procure by the
kind aid of the accommodating friend who had made him returns for his
remittance.

"There will be a small matter to arrange with respect to Emilie," said
Madame Sendel in her blandest tones, and with affectation of
embarrassment. "She has an engagement at the Vienna theatre, which must
of course now be broken off. There is a forfeit to pay, no