d
cordiality, "depend upon your mother and me, that you will have no cause
of complaint. I am not without property and connexions. I will spare no
means of cultivating your talents, and then if your turn for art is a
true one, when it has been cultivated to its utmost it shall not be
concealed from a world which can enjoy and reward it. But remain under
our protection, and do not cast yourself, inexperienced as you are, on a
world which will only lead you more astray. Do not, in order to win an
ideal liberty, give your hand to a man inferior to you in
accomplishments; to a man whom you do not love, and whom, morally
speaking, you cannot esteem. Descend into your own heart, and see its
error while there is yet time to retrieve it, before you are crushed by
your own folly. Do not fly from affectionate, careful friends--do not
fly from the paternal roof in blind impatience of disagreeables, to
remove which depends perhaps only on yourself! Sara, my child! I have
not taken you under my roof in order to let you become the victim of
ruin and misfortune! Pause, Sara, and reflect, I pray you, I conjure
you! make not yourself wretched! When I took you from the death-bed of
your father, I threw my arms around _you_ to shield you from the winds
of autumn--I clasp them once again around you, in order to shield you
from far more dangerous winds--Sara, my child, fly not from this house!"

Sara trembled; she was violently agitated, and leaned her head with
indescribable emotion against her adopted father, who clasped her
tenderly to his bosom.

It is not difficult to say whether they were good or bad angels who
triumphed in Sara, as she, after a moment of violent inward struggle,
pushed from her the paternal friend, and said, with averted countenance,
"It is in vain; my determination is taken. I shall become the wife of
Schwartz, and go where my fate leads me!"

The Judge started up, stamped on the floor, and pale with anger,
exclaimed, with flashing eyes, "Obdurate one! since neither love nor
prayers have power over you, you must listen to another mode of speech!
I have the right of a guardian over you, and I forbid this unholy
marriage! I forbid you to leave my house! You hear me, and you shall
obey!"

Sara stood up as pale as death, and with an insolent expression riveted
her large eyes upon him, whilst he, too, fixed his upon her with all the
force of his peculiar earnestness and decision. It seemed as if each
would look the