courses. Tell me, what can you mean by it?-for when noble youths demand your hand in marriage, you reject them, and say you never mean to marry. Can you think that our gracious Prince, a son of Pomerania, will make thee his duchess—thou who art only a common nobleman's daughter?"

Illa. "A common nobleman's daughter!—that is good from the peasant-girl. You are common enough and low enough, I warrant ; but my blood is as old as that of the Dukes of Pomerania, and besides, I am a castle and land dowered maiden. But who are you? who are you? Your forefathers were hunted out of Mecklenburg, and only got footing here in Pomerania out of charity."

Hac.-"Do not be angry, dear lady-you say true; yet I must add that my forebears were once Counts in Mecklenburg, and from their loyalty to the Dukes of Pomerania were given possessions here in Daber, where they have been lords of castles and lands for two hundred and fifty years. Yet I will confess that your race is nobler than mine; but, dear child, I make no boast of my ancestry, nor is it fitting for either of us to do so. The right royal Prince, who is given as an example and model to us all-who is Lord, not over castle and land, but of the heavens and the earth-the Saviour, Jesus Christ-He took no account of His arms or His ancestry, though the whole starry universe was His banner. He was as humble to the little child as to the learned doctors in the temple-to the chiefs among the people, as to the trembling sinner and the blind beggar Bartimæus. Let us take, then, this Prince for our example, and mind our life long what He says-Come unto Me, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart.' Will you not learn of Him, dear lady? I will, if God give me grace.'

And she extended her hand to Sidonia, who dashed it away, crying-"Stuff! nonsense! you have learned all this twaddle from the priest, who, I know, is nephew to the shoe

maker in Daber, and therefore hates any one who is above him in rank."

Clara was about to reply mildly; but they happened now to be standing close to the public flight of steps, and a peasant-girl ran up when she saw them, and flung herself at Clara's feet, entreating the young lady to save her, for she had run away from Daber, where they were going to burn her as a witch. The pious Clara recoiled in horror, and desiring her to rise, said—“Art thou Anne Wolde, some time keeper of the swine to my father? How fares it with my dearest father and my mother?"

They were well when she ran away, but she had been wandering now for fourteen days on the road, living upon roots and wild berries, or what the herds gave her out of their knapsacks for charity.

Hac. "What crime wast thou suspected of, girl, to be

condemned to so terrible a death?"

Illa." She had a lover named Albert, who followed her everywhere, but as she would not listen to him he hated her, and pretended that she had given him a love-drink.”

Here Sidonia laughed aloud, and asked if she knew how to brew the love-drink?

Illa.- -"Yes; she learned from her elder sister how to make it, but had never tried it with any one, and was perfectly innocent of all they charged her with."

Here Clara shook her head, and wished to get rid of the witch-girl; for she thought, truly if Sidonia learns the brewing secret, she will poison and destroy the whole castleful, and we shall have the devil bodily with us in earnest. So she pushed away the girl, who still clung to her, weeping and lamenting. Hereupon Sidonia grew quite grave and pious all of a sudden, and said—

"See the hypocrite she is! She first sets before me the example of Christ, and then treats this poor sinner with nothing but cross thorns! Has not Christ said, Blessed

are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy'? But only see how this bigot can have Christ on her tongue, but not in her heart!"

The pious Clara grew quite ashamed at such talk, and raising up the wretch who had again fallen on her knees, said

"Well, thou mayest remain; so get thee to my maid, and she will give thee food. I shall also write to my father for thy pardon, and meanwhile ask leave from her Grace to allow thee to remain here until it arrives; but if thou art guilty, I cannot promise thee my protection any longer, and thou wilt be burned here, in place of at Daber."

So the witch-girl was content, and importuned them no further.

CHAPTER X.

How Sidonia wished to learn the mystery of love-potions, but is hindered by Clara and the young Prince.

WHEN Prince Ernest returned home after an absence of some days, Sidonia had changed her tactics, for now she never lifted up her eyes when they met, but passed on blushing and confused, and in place of speaking, as formerly, only sighed. This turned his head completely, and sent the blood so quickly through his veins that he found it a hard matter to conceal his feelings any longer. For this reason he deter

mined to visit Sidonia in her own room as soon as he could hit upon a favourable opportunity, and bring her then a beautiful lute, inlaid with gold and silver, which he had purchased for her at Grypswald.

Now, it happened soon after, that her Grace and Clara went away one day into the town to purchase a jerkin for the little Prince Casimir, who accompanied them. Sidonia was immediately informed of their absence, and sought out

Clara's maid without delay, put a piece of gold into her hand, and said

"Send the strange girl from Daber to my room for a few minutes; she can perhaps give me some tidings of my dear father and family, for Daber is only a little way from Stramehl. But mind," she added, "keep this visit a secret, as well from her Grace as from your mistress Clara; otherwise we shall all be scolded."

So the maid very willingly complied, and brought the witch-girl directly to Sidonia's little apartment, and then ran to Clara's room to watch for the return of her Grace in time to give notice.

The witch-girl was quite confounded (as she afterwards. confessed upon the rack) when Sidonia began—

"Thou knowest, Anne, that my entreaties alone obtained thee a shelter here, for I pitied thee from the first; and from what I hear, it is certain that her Grace means to deal no better with thee than thy judges at Daber, therefore my advice is escape if thou canst."

Illa, weeping."Where can I go? I shall die of hunger, or they will arrest me again as an evil-minded witch, and carry me back to Daber."

"But do not tell them, stupid goose, that thou hast come from Daber."

Illa." But what could she say? Besides, she had no money, and so must be lost and ruined for ever."

"Well, I shall give thee gold enough to get thee through all dangers. I give it, mind, out of pure Christian charity; but now tell me honestly-canst thou really make a love-drink?" Illa.- Yes; her sister had taught her."

"Is the drink of equal power for men and women?

Illa." Yes; without doubt, it would make either mad with love."

"Has it ever an injurious effect upon them? does it take away their strength?"

Illa." Yes; they fall down like flies. Some lose their memory, others become blind or lame.”

"Has she ever tried its effects upon any one herself?" Illa." But will the lady betray me?"

"Out, fool! When I have promised thee gold enough to insure thy escape! I betray thee !

Illa.-"Then she will tell the lady the whole truth. She did give a love-drink to Albert, because he grew cross, and spent the nights away from her, and complained if she idled a little, so that her master beat her. Therefore she determined to punish him, and a rash came out over his whole body, so that he could neither sit nor lie for six weeks, and at night he had to be tied to a post with a hand-towel; but all this time his love for her grew so burning, that although he had previously hated and beaten her, yet now if she only brought him a drink of cold water, for which he was always screaming, he would kiss her hands and feet even though she spat in his face, and he would certainly have died if his relations had not found out an old woman who unbewitched him; whereupon his love came to an end, and he informed against her."

That must be a wonderful drink. Would the girl teach her how to brew it?

But just then our Lord God sent yet another warning to Sidonia, through His angel, to turn her from her villainy, for as the girl was going to answer, a knock was heard at the chamber-door. They both grew as white as chalk; but Sidonia bethought herself of a hiding-place, and bid the other creep under the bed while she went to the door to see who knocked, and as she opened it, so there stood Prince Ernest bodily before her eyes, with the lute in his hand.

What

"Ah, gracious Prince, what brings you here? I pray your Highness, for the sake of God, to leave me. would be said if any one saw you here?"

"But who is to see us, my beautiful maiden? My gracious mother has gone out to drive; and now, just look at