it, sir?
A student as a trumpeter!"

"A health to the one whose eyes mine resemble!" whispered Otto, carried
along with the merriment.

"That health we have already drunk!" answered Wilhelm, "but we cannot do
a good thing too often."

"Then you still think of Eva?"

"She was beautiful! sweet! who knows what might have happened had she
remained here? Her fate has fallen into mamma's hands, and she and the
other exalted Nemesis must now conduct the affair: I wash my hands of
it."

"Are you recovered?" asked Otto. "But when you see Eva again in the
summer?"

"I hope that I shall not fall sick," replied Wilhelm; "I have a strong
constitution. But we must now hasten up to the dance."

All rushed from the tables, and up-stairs, where the park was arranged.
There was now only the green wood to be seen. Theatres and booths had
been removed. Gay paper-lamps hung among the branches, a large orchestra
played, and a half-bacchanalian wood-ball commenced. Wilhelm was Otto's
partner, but after the first dance the lady sought out for herself a
more lively cavalier.

Otto drew back toward the wall where the windows were concealed by the
boughs of Fir-tree. His eye followed Wilhelm, whose great resemblance
to Sophie made him melancholy; his hand accidentally glided through the
branches and touched the window-seat; there lay a little bird--it was
dead!

To increase the illusion they had bought a number of birds, which should
fly about during the park-scene, but the poor little creatures had died
from fright at the wild uproar. In the windows and corners they lay
dead. It was one of these birds that Otto found.

"It is dead!" said he to Wilhelm, who approached him.

"Now, that is capital!" returned the friend; "here you have something
over which you may be sentimental!"

Otto would not reply.

"Shall we dance a Scotch waltz?" asked Wilhelm laughing, and the wine
and his youthful blood glowed in his cheeks.

"I wish you would put on your own dress!" said Otto. "You resemble, as I
said before, your sister"--

"And I am my sister," interrupted Wilhelm, in his wantonness. "And as
a reward for your charming readings aloud, for your excellent
conversation, and the whole of your piquant amiability, you shall now be
paid with a little kiss!" He pressed his lips to Otto's forehead; Otto
thrust him back and left the company.

Several hours passed before he could sleep; at length he was forced to
laugh over his anger: wh