ion would
rest upon you. Yet if you feel that you have courage to undertake it,
you would fulfil the wish of my heart."

"Ernst," said she, repressing a tear, "my strength is small, and nobody
knows that better than you do; but my will is good;--I will undertake
the trouble--you will support me?"

"Yes, we will help one another," said he, rising up joyfully. "Thank
you, Elise--thank you, my sweet friend," continued he, kissing her hand
affectionately. "Shall I go to fetch the child immediately?--but perhaps
it will not come with me."

"Shall I go with you?"

"You!" said he; "but it gets dark--it rains."

"We can take an umbrella," replied she; "and besides that, I will put on
a wrapping cloak, and will soon be ready."

Elise went to dress herself, and her husband went to help her, put on
her cloak for her, and paid her a thousand little affectionate
attentions.

After Elise had given sundry orders to Brigitta, she and her husband
betook themselves to the house, whilst the children set their little
heads together full of curiosity and wonder.

The two crossed the street in wind and rain; and after they had ascended
the dark staircase, they arrived at the room which Mr. N. had inhabited.
The door stood half open; a small candle, just on the point of going
out, burned within, spreading an uncertain and tremulous light over
everything. No living creature was visible within the room, which had a
desolate, and, as one might say, stripped appearance, so naked did it
seem. The dead man lay neglected on his bed, near to which was no trace
of anything which might have mitigated the last struggle. A cloth
covered his face. Ernst Frank went towards the bed, and softly raising
the cloth, observed for a moment silently the terrible spectacle, felt
the pulse of the deceased, and then covering again the face, returned
silently, with a pale countenance, to his wife.

"Where can we find the child?" said she, hastily. They looked
searchingly around; a black shadow, in a human form, seemed to move
itself in one corner of the room. It was the orphan who sate there, like
a bird of night, pressing herself close to the wall. Elise approached
her, and would have taken her in her arms, when the child suddenly
raised her hand, and gave her a fierce blow. Elise drew back astonished,
and then, after a moment, approached again the half-savage girl with
friendly words; again she made a threatening demonstration, but her
hands were suddenl