in the day before these two gentlemen made their appearance at the
breakfast-table; the Kammerjunker was already come over to the hall, and
now was more adorned than common.

"Mr. Thostrup shall be one of the initiated!" said the mother. "It
will be time enough this evening for strangers to know of it. The
Kammerjunker and my Sophie are betrothed."

"See, it was in the bright moonlight, Mr. Thostrup, that I became such
a happy man!" said the Kammerjunker, and kissed the tips of Sophie's
fingers. He offered his other hand to Otto.

Otto's countenance remained unchanged, a smile played upon his lips.
"I congratulate you!" said he; "it is indeed a joyful day! If I were a
poet, I would give you an ode!"

Louise looked at him with an extraordinary expression of pain in her
countenance.

Wilhelm called the Kammerjunker brother-in-law, and smiling shook both
his hands.

Otto was unusually gay, jested, and laughed. The ladies went to their
toilet, Otto into the garden.

He had been so convinced in his own mind that Sophie returned his
passion. With what pleasure had she listened to him! with what an
expression had her eye rested upon him! Her little jests had been to
him such convincing proofs that the hope which he nourished was no
self-delusion. She was the light around which his thoughts had circled.
Love to her was to him a good angel, which sung to him consolation and
life's gladness in his dark moments.

Now, all was suddenly over. It was as if the angel had left him; the
flame of love which had so entirely filled his soul, was in a moment
extinguished to its last spark. Sophie was become a stranger to him; her
intellectual eye, which smiled in love on the Kammerjunker, seemed to
him the soulless eye of the automaton. A stupefying indifference went
through him, deadly as poison that is infused into the human blood.

"The vain girl! she thought to make herself more important by repelling
from her a faithful heart! She should only see how changed her image is
in my soul. All the weaknesses which my love for her made me pass over,
now step forth with repulsive features! Not a word which she spoke fell
to the ground. The diamond has lost its lustre; I feel only its sharp
corners!"

Sophie had given the preference to a man who, in respect of intellect,
stood far below Otto! Sophie, who seemed to be enthusiastic for art and
beauty, for everything glorious in the kingdom of mind, could thus have
deceived him!

W