would
not disturb the peace, the cheerfulness, which now again began to reign
in the family after the misfortunes which had shaken it; but under the
endeavour to bear her burden alone, her not strong spirit gave way. She
withdrew more and more from the family circle; became ever more silent
and reserved; sought for solitude, and was unwilling to have her
solitude disturbed by any one. She even was reserved before Leonore;
although she, like a good angel, stood by her side, resting her soft
eyes upon her with a tender disquiet, endeavouring to remove from her
every annoyance, taking upon herself every painful occupation, and
evincing towards her all that anxious care which a mother shows to a
sick child. Eva permitted all this, and was daily more and more consumed
by her untold mental sufferings. The engrossing cares which at this time
occupied the family, prevented almost every one from paying attention to
Eva's state of mind, and thus she was often left to herself.

For several of the last evenings Eva had gone down into her own chamber
directly after tea--for in their present dwelling some of the daughters
occupied the ground-floor--and on the plea of headache had excused
herself from again returning to her family during the evening. It was a
principle of the parents never to make use of any other means of
compulsion with their children, now that they were grown up, than love,
be it in great things or in small. But then love had a great power in
this family; and as the daughters knew that it was the highest delight
of their father to see them all round him in an evening, it became a
principle with them neither to let temper nor any other unnecessary
cause keep them away. As now, however, this was the third evening on
which Eva had been absent, the father became uneasy, and the mother went
down to her, whilst the rest of the family and some friends who were
with them were performing a little concert together. But Eva was not to
be found in her chamber, and the mother was hastening back again, full
of disquiet, when she met Ulla, who was going to make the beds.

"Where is Eva?" asked she, with apparent indifference.

Ulla started, was red and then pale, and answered hesitatingly, "She
is--gone out--I fancy."

"Where is she gone?" asked Elise, suddenly uneasy.

"I fancy--to the grave of the young master," returned Ulla.

"To the grave?--so late! Has she gone there for several evenings?"
inquired the mother.

"Thi