Peter Ærsens, the hero of the following sketch, was born at Amsterdam, about the year 1519; and was early distinguished for his love of painting, together with the bold and spirited style in which he worked out his crude conceptions; and scarcely less so for his extraordinary height, which gained for him the Italian sobriquet of "Pietro Alto." He certainly was uncommonly tall; the consciousness of which, together with a certain awkwardness inseparable from most boys, especially those of a studious disposition, produced a deportment by no means calculated to impress the casual observer with any great feeling of reverence towards the youthful student. But for all that, Peter Ersens had a broad, open brow, and a free, bright smile, that won its way imperceptibly to the heart. He was proud; none perhaps knew better than himself with how much reason, for he felt his own powers, and looked forward to the day when others also should acknowledge and appreciate them. This same pride was very useful at times in restraining other and more violent passions, and enabling him to bear calmly many a bitter taunt, conscious that the hour of triumph would one day be his. At eighteen, like most young men of his age (we suppose we must not say boys now), Pietro Alto (somehow we like that name best, as being more expressive of our hero) took it into his head to fall in love; and with no less a personage than a young heiress of rank, celebrated alike for her wealth and beauty; but then Pietro was always aspiring! Nevertheless, it was the latter qualification only that had charms for the

young painter. To love the Beautiful seemed only natural, and a part of his profession; and the lady Gertrude was, beyond dispute, one of the most bewitching little creatures in all Amsterdam! By a strange coincidence she was singularly petite-somehow tall men generally do admire little women. But for all that, it was quite evident to every observer, in spite of a seeming contradiction of terms, that the lady Gertrude looked down on Pietro Alto.

It was all very pleasant for the young heiress to have her portrait taken a dozen different ways. Now with the full, bright eyes, glancing straight on the beholder, as if defying him to do aught but admire them; and anon stealthily through their long, drooping lashes, but not a whit the less bewildering in their star-like radiance, just as they had sought those of the artist when she thought he saw her not. Or the delicate profile was alone visible; the lofty brow, and curved lip, full of the pride of high rank and birth. It was pleasant also to have him to dance attendance on her smiles, run her errands (which he often did when he ought to have been at his studies, and with an expedition that won no greater thanks than a sarcastic allusion to the long legs which enabled him to get over the ground so rapidly), or to hand her to her carriage when there was no one present whom she liked better.

Pietro's rising talent had already gained him an entrée at the house of a certain rich merchant, with whose family the lady Gertrude had been long intimate; and here they were in the frequent

habit of meeting on the most easy and familiar terms. That is to say-the artist praised, and admired, and idolized; and the young lady laughed at him; or now and then, when matters went too far, blushed or frowned as the case might be. And she could look very haughty when she liked-almost as haughty as himself; although Gertrude had never seen how he could look yet; for, do what she would, Pietro never lost his temper, but treated her as a spoiled child-or a beautiful picture, equally worthy of study in all its various shades and aspects.

"I wish you could find some one else to dance with," said the young heiress, one evening, to Pietro Alto; as he lingered, as usual, by her side.

"So I might, and more than one; but what if I prefer dancing with you?"

"And what if I should be engaged?" "I can wait," said the artist. There are a few things in the world worth waiting for." "I am afraid I shall tire your patience," was the half wayward, half mischievous, reply.

"Nay, have you not made trials enough by this time, to know that such a thing is impossible?" asked her companion.

Either struck by a sudden consciousness of the truth of the latter observation, or with a change of mood by no means unusual, the girl, a few moments afterwards, began to complain of a headache, and declared that she did not think she should dance at all.

"Perhaps you will alter your mind, by-andbye," said her disappointed partners.

Perhaps I may," replied the wilful heiress, looking after them, with a merry laugh.

"Does your head really ache, Lady Gertrude?" asked Pietro Alto, anxiously.

"To be sure: what a question! But I thought you were gone."

"Where should I go? But I will not speak, since it disturbs you. To be near you only, is happiness enough!"

Gertrude opened her large starry eyes, looked at him for a few moments, and then laughed again with increased mirth.

"Go on," said she; "it amuses me." The artist bit his lip; but her smile was contagious. The approach of fresh admirers, however, put a stop to any further display of his sentiments, be they what they might. Perhaps he did not very clearly know himself; and it was quite evident that the lady Gertrude never even guessed.

The young heiress was quite tired of hearing the same hacknied speeches and common-place flatteries addressed to her, night after nightwhat girl is not? She knew that she was beautiful, every bit as well as they could tell her, and had been too often reminded of the fact, to be in any danger of forgetting it. The artist alone said nothing: not that he felt inclined to dispute a word that had been uttered, but was somewhat piqued, and would have infinitely preferred compressing all their delicate flattery into a language of his own, and telling it his own way. At length, half in ridicule, some one

present appealed to him for his opinion on the subject in question.

"Come, Peter Ærsens, tell us how it is that every one loves and admires the lady Gertrude?" "Because they cannot help it," replied the artist, simply.

All laughed; but Gertrude's laugh sounded less musical than usual.

"A self-evident, but most unphilosophical answer," observed a young doctor of medicine. " Have you no other? No poetical allusion at hand to the fairy spells flung by that tiny form around all who approach it; and which, from contrast, must be even more apparent to you than ourselves?"

"Yes," said Pietro Alto, with a proud sarcasm; "and one of ancient and incontrovertible authority. Have you forgotten the Greek philosopher's advice to his disciples: If they must love, to be sure and single out a little woman; since of all evils it is well to choose the least ?"

He turned upon his heel as he finished speaking, and walked slowly away. Gertrude did not laugh this time; but, in spite of his gigantic figure, and the awkward stoop contracted in consequence, fancied that there was something noble in the air and deportment of the young artist; although certainly it was very impertinent of him to answer as he did.

It was a bright summer morning: the lady Gertrude had come to spend the whole day with her favourite friend and companion, the merchant's gentle daughter, Hannie Sperling. And as they sat, side by side, in the flower-wreathed balcony, they began to talk-as girls do sometimes-very wildly and foolishly, but pleasantly withal, of what neither of them knew anything about; such as lovers and husbands, and all that sort of thing.

Hannie would have a merchant: just such a one as her father-as merry, and good, and kindhearted-only younger, of course; more like her cousin, Karl Vonder Brest, perhaps. And the little maiden blushed as she spoke so vividly, that lady Gertrude read her heart as plainly as one might read a book; thus becoming a great deal wiser than Hannie was herself. But there was something of pity in her glance as she turned away.

"For my part," said she, with a proud toss of her beautiful head, "I will never wed at all, unless I can find one to whom I can look up— one whose name shall be famous throughout all Germany, and the world! Of rank and birth high and unsullied as my own. I have no notion of this mingling of the patrician and the burgher!"

"But then I am only a burgher's daughter," said her companion, meekly, "and may not look so high."

12

"Nay, I was not thinking of you, dear Hannie! But did I tell you of my new conquest? No less a personage than the Duke Von "Hush!" interrupted her friend. I heard a step?"

"It must be the wind, silly child!”

Surely

"Well, well-perhaps it was; but, Gertrude, this great duke is old enough to be your father instead of your lover."

"But then he is so rich; almost a prince by birth! Although, to be sure, he is very proud and disagreeable. I suppose all men are pretty much alike in that respect."

"Ah," thought Hannie, "if she did but know my cousin Karl!"

The day had passed very pleasantly--what with their books, and music, and conversationand not seemed at all long; but, nevertheless, the friends were quite ready to welcome an addition to their little party in the person of Pietro Alto, who had been engaged all day executing a new work under the superintendence of his kind patron, the merchant. And whether it was that the artist felt more at ease in that limited circle, or there was no one else present for the lady Gertrude to flirt with, he had never appeared to her half so witty and agreeable as he did on that night. The old merchant chuckled and rubbed his hands at their lively sallies, inwardly prophesying great things of his young favourite; while Hannie smiled, and looked on as if she were not thinking all the time of some one else. And Gertrude encouraged him by her playful repartees; half wondering at his impertinence, and still more at his wit.

"Peter Æreens is really looking quite handsome to-night," whispered Hannie, as he arose to execute some little commission for the exacting heiress.

66

Very likely; but I am short-sighted, you know," was the careless reply, "and would not undertake to give an opinion on the subject without the aid of a telescope at least!"

A burst of irresistible merriment followed this speech. Pietro knew they were laughing at him, and drew himself up, after his usual fashion, until he looked half a head taller.

"Mind the chandelier, Peter!" called out the lady Gertrude, mischievously.

The young artist would have liked to dash it to pieces; but he restrained himself, and, giving her the guitar, sat down on his usual low seat at her feet. Here, somehow, he always felt lowly, and humble, and happy-ah, too happy! There is a strange spell in music. Lady Gertrude, as she played on, with her eyes fixed on the guitar, and his on her, felt sorry she had vexed him. After all he could not help his extraordinary height, and a tall man was better than a short one any day. She wished he would speak, that she might answer kindly, and would have broken the silence herself had she known what to say; but those dark, earnest eyes bewildered her, and yet she was used to being looked at. Presently a violent pull at the gate-bell sounded all through the house, and made Hannie's heart beat thick and fast.

"That's Karl Vonder Brest!" exclaimed the old merchant." He is always in a hurry." And sure enough it was he.

There could be no doubt about the cordiality of his reception. And after shaking hands with all round, and whispering a few words to

Hannie, he looked as if the room were far too small to contain his restless spirit, and accordingly wandered forth into the moon-lit gardens, taking his cousin with him. The lady Gertrude glanced at her shawl, and then at Pietro Alto, as if she thought it by no means a bad idea, and would not want much persuasion to follow their example. And in another moment he had wrapped her up in it; and drawing her arm through his for the first time, disappeared in a similar manner, leaving the good old merchant to smoke his pipe, and dream of his own young days.

It seems a pity that no record should be kept of all the pretty things said that night. And yet they would not bear repeating either without seeming trite and common-place. Certain it is that Pietro Alto was strangely eloquent, and his companion strangely silent; while Karl and Hannie appeared equally happy, after a fashion of their own. But what should make the lady Gertrude so still and pensive? Some such question perhaps arose in her own heart, for presently she rallied, and becoming suddenly conscious that Pietro Alto, not content with putting her arm through his, had possessed himself of her hand also, drew both away, complaining that it made her shoulder ache to reach up so far. Whereupon it occurred to her companion that if he were to go down upon his knees they should be more of a height.

Lady Gertrude laughed-but very softly—at the idea, and trembled likewise to see him kneeling before her in the pale moonlight; and somehow, without the aid of the telescope, managed to discover that Hannie was not far from right after all, for he really had a most magnificent brow, and very good eyes, if he would not make quite so much use of them. And having arrived at this conclusion, she would have turned hastily away; but Pietro caught hold of her robe, and detained her.

"Can I not please you any how?" asked he, half sadly.

"Yes, yes; but it is cold standing still, and they will wonder what has become of us. It must be getting late, too; and the carriage was to come for me at nine."

"What a short evening this has been," observed the artist.

66

"Very," said Gertrude, involuntarily. "And it might be always thus, if we were together."

"Not to me," replied his companion, suddenly recollecting herself; and there was a proud flashing of her bright eyes, invisible in that dim light. "The novelty would soon pass away, and I should weary for something more than a humdrum walk in a Dutch garden!"

"And has ours been a humdrum walk?" asked Pietro, rising from his knees, and resuming his place by her side, although he did not again venture to take that little white hand between his own as he had done before.

"It would soon degenerate into such," replied the heiress, evasively. "No, give me the excitement and adulation of a crowd!"