t. She whispered in his ear words of fervent love, of warmest
affection. They fell on Gotzkowsky's heart like soothing balm; they
forced tears of mingled joy and repentance from his eyes.

A long while did they remain locked in each other's arms. Their lips
were silent, but their hearts spoke, and they understood each other
without words. Then Elise raised herself from her father's embrace,
and, again offering him the myrtle-wreath, said with a smile, "And
now, my father, bless your daughter."

"I will," said Gotzkowsky, drying his eyes. "Yes, from my whole soul
will I bless you. But where is the bridegroom?"

Elise looked at him inquiringly. "Will you bid him, also, welcome?"

"That I will with all my heart!"

Elise approached the curtain, drew it back, and taking Bertram's hand,
led him to her father, saying, with indescribable grace: "My father,
bless your children."

"This is your bridegroom?" asked Gotzkowsky, and for the first time a
sunbeam seemed to flash across his face.

Bertram with a cry of delight drew Elise to his heart. She clung to
him, and said warmly: "I will rest on your breast, Bertram. I will
be as true and as faithful as yourself. You shall reconcile me to
mankind. You will make us both happy again. My father and I put our
hope in you, and we both know it will not be in vain. Is it not so, my
father?" She extended her hand to Gotzkowsky.

He took it, but was too much affected to speak. He pressed it to his
eyes and his breast, and then looked with a smile into the countenance
of his daughter.

Elise continued: "Look, father, life is still worth something. It
gives you a son, who is happy to share your unhappiness with you. It
gives you a daughter, who looks upon every tear of yours as a jewel in
your crown; who would be proud to go as a beggar with her father from
place to place, and say to all the world, 'Gotzkowsky is a beggar
because he was rich in love toward his fellow-men; he has become poor
because he was a noble man, who had faith in mankind.'" And as she
drew her father into her own and Bertram's embrace, she asked him,
smiling through her tears, "My father, do you still wish to leave your
children?"

"No, I will live--live for you!" cried Gotzkowsky, as, almost overcome
with emotion and pleasure, he threw his arms around their necks, and
kissed them both warmly and lovingly. "A new life is to begin for us,"
said he, cheerfully. "We will seek refuge in a quiet cottage, and take