-that we will prevent. What do you think now
would be good for her?"

"I fancy," said Elise, "that a course of serious and well-directed
study would assist in regulating her mind. She is too much left to
herself, with her disarranged bent--with her enthusiasm and her
attempts. I myself have too little knowledge to instruct her, you have
too little time, and there is no one here who would undertake the
guidance of her young unsettled mind. I am sometimes extremely grieved
about her; for her sisters do not understand the workings of her mind,
which I must confess sometimes give me pain. I wish I were better able
to help her. Petrea requires a ground on which to take her stand--as yet
she has none; her thoughts require some firm holding-place; from the
want of this comes her unrest. She is like a flower without roots, which
is driven about by wind and wave."

"She shall be firmly rooted; she shall find firm ground to stand upon,
if such is to be found in the world!" said the Judge, with a grave yet
beaming eye, and striking his hand at the same time with such violence
on a volume of West-Gotha law, that it fell to the ground. "We will
think about it," continued he; "Petrea is yet too young for one to say
with certainty what is her decided bent; but we will strengthen her
powers! she shall no longer know hunger of any kind, so long as I live
and can get my own bread. You know my friend, the excellent Bishop
B----. Perhaps we can at first confide Petrea to his guidance. After a
few years we shall see----as yet she is only a child. But don't you
think we might speak with Jacobi, whether he could not read with her and
talk with her--apropos! how is it with Jacobi? I fancy he begins to
think about Louise."

"Yes, yes, you are not wrong," said Elise; "and our Cousin Thure of
Oestanvik--have you remarked nothing there?"

"Yes, I did remark something," replied he. "The thousand! What stupid
questions were those that he put to her! 'Does Cousin like this?' or,
'Does Cousin like that?' But I don't like that! not I! Louise is not yet
grown up, and already shall people come and ask her, does Cousin like?
Nay, perhaps, after all it means nothing; that would please me best.
What a pity it is, however, that our Cousin Thure is not more of a man!
A most beautiful estate he has, and so near us."

"Yes, a pity," said Elise; "because such as he is now, I am quite
convinced Louise would find it impossible to endure him."

"You do not t