“That were unbecoming, truly, in my father's child!" returned the young damsel, with an expression of pride of condition, as she glanced an eye towards the fallen wall, among whose stones Berchthold saw the well-known form of a female servitor of his companion's family. "Had I carried imprudence to this pass, Master Berchthold, thou wouldst have reason to believe, in sooth, that it was the daughter of some peasant, that by chance had crossed thy footstep."

"There is little danger of that error," answered Berchthold quickly. "I know thee well; thou art Meta, the only child of Heinrich Frey, the Burgomaster of Deurckheim. None know thy quality and hopes better than I, for none have heard them oftener!"

The damsel dropped her head in a movement of natural regret and sudden repentance, and when her blue eye, softened by a ray of the moon, met the gaze of the forester, he saw that better feelings were uppermost.

"I did not wish to recount my father's honors, nor any accidental advantage of my situation, and, least of all, to thee," answered the maiden, with eagerness; "but I felt concern lest thou shouldst imagine I had forgotten the modesty of my sex and condition-or, I had fear that thou mightest-thy manner is much changed of late, Berchthold!"

"It is then without my knowledge or intention. But we will forget the past, and thou wilt tell me, what wonder hath brought thee, to this suspected and dreaded moor, at an hour so unusual?"

Meta smiled, and the expression of her countenance proved, that if she had moments of uncharitable weakness, they were more the offspring of the world's opinions, than of her own frank and gene

Ious nature.

"I might retort the question on thee, Berchthold,

and plead a woman's curiosity as a reason why 1 should be quickly answered-Why art thou here, at an hour when most young hunters sleep?"

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"I am Lord Emich's forester; but thou, as there has just been question, art a daughter of the Burgomaster of Deurckheim."

"I give thee credit for all the difference. Did my mother know that I was thus about to furnish a reason for my conduct, she would say, 'Keep thy explanations, Meta, for those who have a right to demand them !" "

"And Heinrich Frey?"

"He would be little likely to approve of either visit or explanation."

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Thy father loves me not, Meta ?"

"He does not so much disapprove of thee, Master Berchthold, as that thou art only Lord Emich's forester. Wert thou as thine own parent was, a substantial burgher of our town, he might esteem thee much. But thou hast great favor with my dear mother!"

"Heaven bless her, that in her own prosperity she hath not forgotten those who have fallen! I think that, in thy heart as in thy looks, Meta, thou more resemblest thy mother than thy father."

"I would have it so. When I speak to thee of my being the child of Heinrich Frey, it is without thought of any present difference between us, I do affirm to thee, Berchthold, but rather as showing that in not forgetting my station, I am not likely to do it discredit. Nay, I know not that a forester's is a dishonorable office! They who serve the Elector in this manner are noble."

"And they who serve nobles, simple. I am but a menial, Meta, though it be in a way to do little mortification to my pride."

"And what is Count Emich but a vassal of the Elector, who, in turn, is a subject of the Emperor !

Thou shalt not dishonor thyself in this manner, Berchthold, and no one say aught to vindicate thee." “Thanks, dearest Meta. Thou art the child of my mother's oldest and closest friend, and whatever the world may proclaim of the difference that now exists between us, thy excellent heart whispers to the contrary. Thou art not only the fairest, but, in truth, the kindest and gentlest damsel of thy town!"

The daughter, only child, and consequently the heiress of the wealthiest burgher of Deurckheim, did not hear this opinion of Lord Emich's handsome forester without great secret gratification.

"And now thou shalt know the reason of this unusual visit," said Meta, when the silent pleasure excited by the last speech of young Berchthold had a little subsided; "for this have I, in some measure, promised to thee; and it would little justify thy good opinion to forget a pledge. Thou knowest the holy hermit, and the sudden manner of his appearance in the Heidenmauer?"

"None are ignorant of the latter, and thou hast already seen that I visit him in his hut."

"I shall not pretend to give, or to seek, the reason, but sure it is, that he had not been a week in the old Roman abode, when he sought occasion to show me greater notice than to any other maiden of Deurckheim, or than any merit of mine might claim."

"How! is the knave but a pretender to this sanctity, after all !"

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Thou canst not be jealous of a man of his years; and, judging by his worn countenance and hollow eye, years too of mortification and suffering! He truly is of a character to give a youth of thy age, and gentle air, and active frame, and comely appearance, uneasiness! But I see the color in thy cheek, Master Berchthold, and will not offend thee with comparisons that are so much to thy disadvan

tage. Be the motive of the holy hermit what it will, on the two occasions when he visited our town and in the visits that we maidens have often made to his cell, he hath shown kind interest in my welfare and future hopes, both as they are connected with this life, and with that to which we all hasten, although it be with steps that are not heard even by our own ears."

"It does not surprise me, that all who see and know thee, Meta, should act thus. And yet I find it very strange!"

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Nay," said the amused girl, "now thou justifiest the exact words of old Ilse, who hath often said to me, ‘Take heed, Meta, and put not thy faith too easily in the language of the young townsmen; for, by looking closely into their meaning, thou wilt see that they contradict themselves. Youth is so eager to obtain its end, that it stops not to separate the true from the plausible.' These are her very words, and oft repeated too, which thou hast just verified -I believe the crone fairly sleepeth on that pile of the fallen wall!"

"Disturb her not.

One of her years hath great need of rest: nay, it would be thoughtless to rob her of this little pleasure!"

Meta had made a step in advance, seemingly with intent to arouse her attendant, when the hurried words and rapid action of the youth caused her to hesitate. Receding to her former attitude, beneath the shadow of the cedar, she more considerately resumed

"It would be ungracious, in sooth, to awaken one who hath so lately toiled up this weary hill."

"And she so aged, Meta!"

"And one that did so much for my infancy! ! ought to go back to my father's house, but my kind mother will overlook the delay, for she loveth Ilse little less than one of her own blood."

Thy mother knoweth of this visit to the hermit's hut, then?"

"Dost think, Master Berchthold, that a Burgomaster of Deurckheim's only child would go forth, at this hour, without permission had? There would be great unseemliness in such secret gossiping, and a levity that would better suit thy damsels of Count Emich's village: they say indeed, in our town, that the castle damsels are none too nice in their manner of life."

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They belie us of the mountain strangely, in the towns of the plain! I swear to thee, there is not greater modesty in thy Deurckheim palace, than among our females, whether of the village or of the castle."

"It may be true in the main, and, for the credit of my sex, I hope it is so; but thou wilt scarce find courage, Berchthold, to say aught in favor of her they call Gisela, the warder's child? More vanity have I never seen in female form!"

"They think her fair, in Hartenburg."

""Tis that opinion which spoileth the creature's manner! Thou art much in her society, Master Berchthold, and I doubt not that use causeth thee to overlook some qualities that are not concealed from strangers. Do but regard that flaunting bird from the pass of the Jaegerthal,' said the excellent old Ilse, one morn that we had a festival in our venerable church, to which the country round came forth in their best array; 'one would imagine, from its fluttering, and the movements of its feathers, that it fancied the eye of every young hunter was on its plumage, and that it dreaded the bolt of the archer unexpectedly! And yet have I known animals of this breed, that did not so greatly fear the fowler's nand, if truth were said!"

"Thou judgest Gisela harshly; for though of some lightness of speech, and haply not without ad

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