for some development of human
nature, who have dedicated all their thoughts and powers to this
purpose, and have been able to suffer and to die for it; oh! then I have
wept for burning desire that it also might be granted to me to spend and
to sacrifice my life. I have looked around me, have listened after such
an occasion, have waited and called upon it; but ah! the world goes past
me on its own way--nobody and nothing has need of me."

Petrea both wept and laughed as she spoke, and with smiles and tears
also did both Gabriele and the mother listen to her, and she continued--

"As there was now an opportunity for my marrying, I thought that here
was a sphere in which I might be active--But, ah! I feel clearly that it
is not the right one for me, neither is it the one for which I am
suitable--especially with a husband whose tastes and feelings are so
different to mine."

"But, my good girl," said the mother, disconcerted, "how came it then,
that he could imagine you sympathised so well together; it seems from
his letter that he makes himself quite sure of your consent, and that
you are very well suited to each other."

"Ah!" replied Petrea, blushing, and not without embarrassment, "there
are probably two causes for that, and it was partly his fault and partly
mine. In the country, where I met him, he was quite left to himself;
nobody troubled themselves about him; he had _ennui_, and for that
reason I began to find pleasure for him."

"Very noble," said Gabriele, smiling.

"Not quite so much so as you think," replied Petrea, again blushing,
"because--at first I wished really to find pleasure for _him_, and then
also a little for myself. Yes, the truth is this--that--I--had nothing
to do, and while I busied myself about Mr. M., I did not think it so
very much amiss to busy him a little about me; and for this reason I
entered into his amusements, which turned upon all sorts of petty
social tittle-tattle; for this reason I preserved apricots for him, I
told stories to him, and sang to him in an evening in the
twilight--'Welcome, O Moon!' and let him think if he would, that he was
the moon. Mother, Gabriele, forgive me, I know how little edification
there is in all this, it is quite too----but you cannot believe how
dangerous it is to be idle, when one has an active spirit within one,
and an object before one that----You laugh! God bless you for it! the
affair is not worth anything more, for it is anything but tragic