have loved you much more than any of
the others to whom he made court."

"I do not think so, but--ah, Leonore! do you see the beautiful apple
there? It is quite bright. Can you reach it? No? Yes, if you climb on
this bough."

"Must I give myself so much trouble?" asked Leonore; "that is indeed
shocking! Well, but I must try, only catch me if I should fall!"

The sisters were here interrupted by Petrea, whose appearance showed
that she had something interesting to communicate.

"See, Eva," said she, giving to her a written piece of paper, "here you
have something for morning-reading. Now you must convince yourself of
something of which till now you would not believe. And I shall call you
a stock, a stone, an automaton without heart and soul, if you do
not--yes, smile! You will not laugh when you have read it. Leonore!
come, dear Leonore, you must read it also, you will give me credit for
being right. Read, sisters, read!"

The sisters read the following remarks, in the handwriting of the
Assessor.

"'Happy is the lonely and the lowly! He may ripen and refresh himself in
peace!' Beautiful words, and what is better, true.

"The foundling has proved their truth. He was sick in mind, heart, and
sick of the world and of himself, but he belonged to the lowly and to
the unnoticed, and so he could be alone; alone, in the fresh, quiet
wood, alone with the Great Physician, who only can heal the deep wounds
of the heart--and it is become better with him.

"Now I begin to understand the Great Physician, and the regimen which he
has prescribed for me. I feared the gangrene selfishness, and would
drink myself free therefrom by the nectar of love; but he said,
'Jeremias, drink not this draught, but that of self-denial--it is more
purifying.'

"I have drunk it. I have loved her for twenty years without pretension
and without hope.

"To-day I have passed my three-and-sixtieth year; the increasing pain in
my side commands me to leave the steps of the patients, and tells me
that I have not many more paces to count till I reach my grave. May it
be permitted to me to live the remainder of my days more exclusively for
her!

"At the 'Old Man's Rose' will I live for her--for it stands in my will
that it belongs to her, it belongs to Eva Frank.

"I will beautify it for her. I will cultivate there beautiful trees and
flowers for her; vines and roses will I bring there. Old age will some
time seize on her, wither her, and consume h