ion was one of joy and hope. Had she
been able to penetrate her father's mind and behold the various emotions
that excited it, she would not perhaps have been so gay and blithesome;
but poor De Vlierbeck restrained himself with his habitual care in her
presence, and smiled at her impatience as if he too were confident of
approaching happiness.

At length, tired of running about, Lenora seated herself by her father
and fixed her clear and questioning gaze on his face.

"Don't be so excited, my good child," said he. "We shall know nothing
to-day; but we may, perhaps, to-morrow. Moderate your joy, my daughter;
if it please Heaven to decide against your hope in this matter your
grief will be more easily conquered."

"Oh, no, father!" stammered Lenora; "God will grant my prayer; I feel it
in my heart. Don't be astonished, father, that I am full of joy, for I
think I see Gustave speaking to his uncle. I hear what he says, and
Monsieur Denecker's replies; I see him embrace Gustave and give his
consent! Who can doubt, father, that I ought to hope, when I know that
Monsieur Denecker loved me and was always kind?"

"Would you be very happy, Lenora," asked De Vlierbeck, with a smile, "if
Gustave were betrothed to you?"

"Never to leave him!" cried Lenora,--"to love him,--to be the happiness
of his life, his consolation, his joy,--to enliven the solitude of
Grinselhof by our love!--ah! that, father, would be delight indeed; for
then there would be two of us to contribute to the pleasures of your
life! Gustave would have more skill than I to chase away the grief that
sometimes clouds your brow; you could walk, talk, or hunt with him; he
would venerate and love you as a son and watch you with the tenderest
care; his only thought on earth would be to make you happy, because he
knows that your happiness is mine; and I--I, father, will recompense him
for his devotion by the gratitude of my heart, and love. Oh, yes, dear
father! we shall live together in a paradise of contentment!"

"Ingenuous girl!" exclaimed De Vlierbeck, with a sigh; "may the Lord
hear your prayer! But the world, my child, is governed by laws and
customs of which you are altogether ignorant. A wife must follow her
husband wherever he goes. If Gustave shall select another residence you
must follow him and console yourself gradually at the separation from
your father. Under other circumstances, parting might be painful; but
solitude will not sadden me if I know yo