ory of my life. Is it not as if a curse rested upon me? I was a
high-spirited boy, I often occasioned thee tears; yet didst thou always
place thyself between me and punishment. It was my evil blood, the blood
of my birth in which the curse lay, that drove me on!"

"But thou didst become good and full of love, as thou art now!" said
Rosalie.

"Only when I became acquainted with myself and my destiny. In the
thoughtlessness of childhood, unacquainted with myself and the world,
did I myself have that sign of my misery, which now presses down my
soul, cut into my flesh. Yes, Rosalie! I remember this very well,
and have clearly preserved this, my earliest recollection before
my grandfather took me, and I came here a boy. I remember the great
building from whence I was brought, the number of people who there
worked, sang, and laughed, and who told me extraordinary stories of how
badly people were treated in the beautiful world. This was my parents'
home, thought I, when I began to ponder upon parents and their
connection with children. It was a large manufactory which they
possessed, thought I; I remembered the number of work-people. All played
and romped with me. I was wild and full of boisterous spirits a boy of
only six years old, but with the perseverance and will of one of ten.
Rosalie, thou sawest many proofs of the evil which lay in my blood; it
bordered upon insolence. I remembered well the strong, merry Heinrich,
who always sang at his loom; he showed me and the others his tattooed
breast, upon which he had his whole mournful history imprinted. Upon
his arm were his own and his bride's names. That pleased me; I wished to
have my name also on my arm. 'It is painful!' said he; 'then thou wilt
pipe, my lad!' That was spur enough to make me desire it. I allowed him
to puncture my skin, to puncture an O and a T upon my shoulder, and
did not cry,--no, not once whilst the powder burnt into it; but I was
praised, and was proud to bear the initials--proud of them until three
years ago, when I met Heinrich here. I recognized him, but he did not
recognize me. I showed him my shoulder, and besought him to read the
name, this O and T: but he did not say Otto Thostrup; he named a name
which destroyed the happiness of my childhood, and has made me miserable
forever!"

"It was a fearful day!" said Rosalie. "Thou didst demand from me an
explanation, thy grandfather gave it thee, and thou wast no longer the
Otto thou hadst formerly