, and by no means to remove it until I gave her
leave, as otherwise total ablepsia might be the consequence.

And now I could speak to my little Esztike without disturbance; and
(Heaven forgive me!)--I gave her a hearty kiss!

"Esztike!" cried Aunt Debora, suddenly starting up.

Esztike had slipped out of the room.

"Csitt!" I replied softly, "Esztike is not here."

"What was that smack I heard just now?"

"I was drawing the cork from the medicine-bottle."

"O dear! the medicine!"

"Yes, dear aunt; but you must not talk or make the least exertion, for
you will certainly get the _black_ cataract if you do."

"This will not do," thought I; "for if she has not eyes, she has ears,
and good ones too."

After a few minutes, I sat down beside her and felt her pulse.

"You must know, dear aunt, that we oculists have ascertained by
anatomy that the ears and nose serve, like garret windows, to
communicate fresh air to the nerves of the eyes. When, however, the
nerves are in a state of inflammation, the danger is, that the air,
passing through all these windows at once, may occasion a draught,
which would irritate the inflammation; and therefore, according to
Doctor Smilax, on such occasions one of the passages must be stopped
with cotton. So now, dear aunt, you may have your choice; which do you
consider the most convenient to have closed up--the nose or the ears?"

She naturally preferred dispensing with her ears. And now, at last,
this living house Statuarium was not only blind, but deaf and dumb
too, and for the first time in her life she left her fellow-creatures
in peace.

And thus days glided by--centuries of bliss they might have been, for
aught I knew or cared. Mistress Debora was still under strict medical
discipline, and my little Esztike was as good as she was lovely; and
I--I don't wish to praise myself. Sufficient to say, we were happy,
and forgot all but our own happiness, as if it were to last for ever;
but alas! when does a man in love ever think of the future?

One evening, later than usual, as I was still sitting beside Esztike
(I could not tear myself away, and besides, it was raining hard), I
thought I heard some person knocking at the outer door, but took no
notice of it; for, with my little dove by my side, what cared I if the
world were falling to pieces around us? The old clock ticked
cheerfully; and Esztike and I had so many pretty things to say about
nothing, as we sat together on the sa