? Make your friends merry."

Rolf bowed and smiled, and his master passed on.

"How goes it?" repeated Rolf to Erica, as he looked earnestly into her
face. "Is all going on well, Erica?"

"Certainly. I suppose so. Why not?" she replied. "If you see anything
wrong,--anything omitted, be sure and tell me. Madame Erlingsen would
be very sorry. Is there anything forgotten, Rolf?"

"I think you have forgotten what the day is: that is all. Nobody that
looked at you, love, would fancy it to be your own day. You look
anything but merry. Hardly a smile from you to-night! And that is a
great omission."

"O, Rolf, there is something so much better than merriment!"

"Yes, love; but where is it? Not in your heart to-night, Erica."

"Yes, indeed, Rolf."

"You look as dull,--as sad,--you and Hund, as if--"

"Hund!" repeated Erica, glancing around the room for Hund, and not
seeing him till her lover reminded her that Hund was the musician.
"Hund does seem dull enough to be sure," said she, smiling; "I hope I do
not often look like that."

"I am more sorry for him than you are, I see," said Rolf, brightening
when he found how entirely Hund had been absent from her thoughts. "I
am more sorry for Hund than you are: and with good reason, for I know
what the happiness is that he has missed, poor fellow! But yet I think
you might feel a little more for him. It would show that you know how
to value love."

"Indeed I am very sorry for him; but more for his disappointment about
the house than any other. To-day once over, he will soon fix his love
on somebody else. Perhaps we shall be dancing on his betrothment-day
before the year is out."

"Then I hope his girl will look merrier than you do to-night," muttered
Rolf, with a sigh. "O, Erica! I wish you would trust me. I could take
care of you, and make you quite happy, if you would only believe it.
Ah! I know what that look means. I know you love me, and all that; but
you are always tormenting yourself--"

"I think I know one who is cleverer still at tormenting himself," said
Erica, with a smile. "Come, Rolf, no more tormenting of ourselves or
one another! No more of that after to-day! What is to-day worth, if it
is not to put an end to all doubts of one another?"

"But where is the use of that, if you still will not believe that I can
keep off all trouble from you--that nothing in the universe shall touch
you to your hurt, while--"

"O, hush! hush!" sa