," she said, "Hulda, too, gives you her blessing, and do
not laugh at it, for God speaks in all that live; the flowers and beasts
emanate from him as well as men. And if man does not do his duty, and is
not good and diligent, then God does not love him, and the flower which
blooms and the cow that gives milk are dearer to him, for they do their
duty. But see, the milkmaid is ready, and now, Cousin Frederick William,
now I must go to the milkroom and measure the milk into the pans, and I
will tell you, but nobody else shall know, I secretly take a quart cup
full of milk, and take it to the calves' stable to the calf, from my
Hulda. It ought not, indeed, to drink milk any longer, but be an
independent creature, eating hay and chewing the cud, but it will just
feel that the milk comes from its own mother, and be glad. Farewell,
Cousin Frederick William, I must be gone."

She was about to slip away, but the Electoral Prince held her fast. "No,"
he said, "not so cursory shall be our leave-taking, my darling little
heavenly flower. Who knows when we shall meet again?"

"You are not going away yet, cousin?" she asked, stroking his cheeks with
both her little hands. "Ah! they told me that your father would by no
means allow you to remain here any longer, and I was so sorry that it made
me cry."

"Why did it make you sorry, Cousin Louisa?" asked the Electoral Prince,
drawing the little maiden to himself.

She leaned her little head upon his shoulder. "I do not know," she said,
looking at him with her great blue eyes. "I believe I love you so much
because you are always so good and friendly to me, and have often talked
and played with me, and not laughed at me when I told you about my
animals. I thank you for it, my dear, good cousin, and I shall love you
as long as I live."

"And I, my dear, good cousin, I thank you for the motto which you have
given me, and I shall think of it and of you as long as I live. Yes, my
dear child, I will be a good man, and do you know, little Louisa," he
continued, smiling, "whenever I am in trouble and danger, I shall think
of you and pray, 'God and all ye innocent angels on high, have pity on the
innocent and good! Amen!'"

He pressed a fervent kiss on the child's forehead, nodded smilingly to
her, took the wreath from his head to conceal it in his bosom, and then
strode away with light, quick steps. The child looked thoughtfully after
him with her large blue starry eyes, as if lost in thoug