She
spoke kindly to my brother and myself, patted our heads, and caressed
us; but Marcella would not come near her; on the contrary, she slunk
away, and hid herself in the bed, and would not wait for the supper,
which half an hour before she had been so anxious for. "My father, having put the horse into a close shed, soon returned,
and supper was placed upon the table. When it was over, my father
requested that the young lady would take possession of his bed, and
he would remain at the fire, and sit up with her father. After some
hesitation on her part, this arrangement was agreed to, and I and my
brother crept into the other bed with Marcella, for we had as yet
always slept together. "But we could not sleep; there was something so unusual, not only
in seeing strange people, but in having those people sleep at the
cottage, that we were bewildered. As for poor little Marcella, she was
quiet, but I perceived that she trembled during the whole night, and
sometimes I thought that she was checking a sob. My father had brought
out some spirits, which he rarely used, and he and the strange hunter
remained drinking and talking before the fire. Our ears were ready to
catch the slightest whisper--so much was our curiosity excited. "'You said you came from Transylvania?' observed my father. "'Even so, Mynheer,' replied the hunter. 'I was a serf to the noble
house of ----; my master would insist upon my surrendering up my fair
girl to his wishes; it ended in my giving him a few inches of my
hunting-knife.' "'We are countrymen, and brothers in misfortune,' replied my father,
taking the huntsman's hand, and pressing it warmly. "'Indeed! Are you, then, from that country?' "'Yes; and I too have fled for my life. But mine is a melancholy
tale.' "'Your name?' inquired the hunter. "'Krantz.' "'What! Krantz of ---- I have heard your tale; you need not renew your
grief by repeating it now. Welcome, most welcome, Mynheer, and, I
may say, my worthy kinsman. I am your second cousin, Wilfred of
Barnsdorf,' cried the hunter, rising up and embracing my father. "They filled their horn mugs to the brim, and drank to one another,
after the German fashion. The conversation was then carried on in a
low tone; all that we could collect from it was, that our new relative
and his daughter were to take up their abode in our cottage, at least
for the present. In about an hour they both fell back in their chairs,
and appeared to sleep. "'Marcella, dear, did you hear?' said my brother in a low tone. "'Yes,' replied Marcella, in a whisper; 'I heard all. Oh! brother, I
cannot bear to look upon that woman--I feel so frightened.' "My brother made no reply, and shortly afterwards we were all three
fast asleep. "When we awoke the next morning, we found that the hunter's daughter
had risen before us. I thought she looked more beautiful than ever. She came up to little Marcella and caressed her; the child burst into
tears, and sobbed as if her heart would break. "But, not to detain you with too long a story, the huntsman and his
daughter were accommodated in the cottage. My father and he went
out hunting daily, leaving Christina with us. She performed all the
household duties; was very kind to us children; and, gradually, the
dislike even of little Marcella wore away. But a great change took
place in my father; he appeared to have conquered his aversion to the
sex, and was most attentive to Christina. Often, after her father and
we were in bed, would he sit up with her, conversing in a low tone by
the fire. I ought to have mentioned, that my father and the huntsman
Wilfred, slept in another portion of the cottage, and that the bed
which he formerly occupied, and which was in the same room as ours,
had been given up to the use of Christina. These visitors had been
about three weeks at the cottage, when, one night, after we children
had been sent to bed, a consultation was held. My father had asked
Christina in marriage, and had obtained both her own consent and that
of Wilfred; after this a conversation took place, which was, as nearly
as I can recollect, as follows:--

"'You may take my child, Mynheer Krantz, and my blessing with her,
and I shall then leave you and seek some other habitation--it matters
little where.' "'Why not remain here, Wilfred?' "'No, no, I am called elsewhere; let that suffice, and ask no more
questions. You have my child.' "'I thank you for her, and will duly value her; but there is one
difficulty.' "'I know what you would say; there is no priest here in this wild
country: true; neither is there any law to bind; still must some
ceremony pass between you, to satisfy a father. Will you consent to
marry her after my fashion? if so, I will marry you directly.' "'I will,' replied my father. "'Then take her by the hand. Now, Mynheer, swear.' "'I swear,' repeated my father. "'By all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains--'

"'Nay, why not by Heaven?' interrupted my father. "'Because it is not my humour,' rejoined Wilfred; 'if I prefer that
oath, less binding perhaps, than another, surely you will not thwart
me.' "'Well, be it so then; have your humour. Will you make me swear by
that in which I do not believe?' "'Yet many do so, who in outward appearance are Christians,' rejoined
Wilfred; 'say, will you be married, or shall I take my daughter away
with me?' "'Proceed,' replied my father, impatiently. "'I swear by all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains, by all their
power for good or for evil, that I take Christina for my wedded wife;
that I will ever protect her, cherish her, and love her; that my hand
shall never be raised against her to harm her.' "My father repeated the words after Wilfred. "'And if I fail in this my vow, may all the vengeance of the spirits
fall upon me and upon my children; may they perish by the vulture, by
the wolf, or other beasts of the forest; may their flesh be torn from
their limbs, and their bones blanch in the wilderness; all this I
swear.' "My father hesitated, as he repeated the last words; little Marcella
could not restrain herself, and as my father repeated the last
sentence, she burst into tears. This sudden interruption appeared to
discompose the party, particularly my father; he spoke harshly to the
child, who controlled her sobs, burying her face under the bedclothes. "Such was the second marriage of my father. The next morning, the
hunter Wilfred mounted his horse, and rode away. "My father resumed his bed, which was in the same room as ours; and
things went on much as before the marriage, except that our new
mother-in-law did not show any kindness towards us; indeed, during
my father's absence, she would often beat us, particularly little
Marcella, and her eyes would flash fire, as she looked eagerly upon
the fair and lovely child. "One night, my sister awoke me and my brother. "'What is the matter?' said Caesar. "'She has gone out,' whispered Marcella. "'Gone out!'