, and that she demanded to have an
interview with Assessor Munter.

The friend and physician of the house came immediately to her.

"Do you love me?" was Eva's first question when they were alone.

"Do I love you, Eva?" answered he, and looked at her with an expression
of eye which must have moved any heart to tenderness that had been
otherwise occupied than hers was.

"If you love me, if you desire that I should not be really ill,"
continued Eva, speaking with quickness and great warmth, "you must
convey this letter to Major R----, and bring his answer back into my
hands. My father is set against him, everybody is set against him;
nobody knows him as well as I do! I am in a state of mind which will
drive me to despair, if you have not compassion on me! But you must be
my friend in secret.--You will not? If you love me you must take this
letter and----"

"Desire all things from me, Eva," interrupted he, "but not this! and
precisely because you are so dear to me. This man in fact is not worthy
of you; he does not deserve----"

"Not a word about him!" interrupted Eva, with warmth: "I know him better
than you all--_I_ alone know him; but you all are his enemies, and
enemies to my happiness. Once again I pray you--pray you with tears! Is
it then so much that I desire from you? My benefactor, my friend, will
you not grant this prayer of your Eva?"

"Let me speak with your father," said he.

"On this subject? No, no! impossible!" exclaimed she.

"Then, Eva, I must refuse your prayer. It gives me more pain than I can
express to refuse you anything in this world; but I will not stain my
hand in this affair. I will not be a means of your unhappiness.
Farewell!"

"Stop, stop," cried Eva, "and hear me! What is it that you fear for me?"

"Everything from a man of R----'s character."

"You mistake him, and you mistake me," returned she.

"I know him, and I know you," said he, "and on that account I would
rather go into fire than convey letters between him and you. This is my
last word."

"You will not!" exclaimed she; "then you love me not, and I have not a
friend in this world!"

"Eva, Eva, do not say so! you sin against yourself. You know not--ask
everything from me--ask my life--ah, through you, life has already lost
its worth for me!--ask----"

"Empty words!" interrupted Eva, and turned impatiently away. "I desire
nothing more from you, Assessor Munter! Pardon me that I have given you
so much trouble!"

Mu