midsummer, “I shall yet become better acquainted with thee! Oh, life, after all, is so beautiful!”

These words, from Hertha's lips, gave a feeling of heavenly joy to Yngve's heart, because he heard in them the fulfilment of his heart's wish, which was to reconcile her with life.

And life became more and more beautiful to them whilst they thus lived and learned together, contemplating God's work and wisdom in nature, in history, and, above all, in that history which alone is able fully to explain both the order and disorder of the former, Because

Hertha understood more profoundly than Yngve that

-Nature is a fallen angel,

But in the fallen angel's face shine clearly
The lofty features of a heavenly lineage,

And Daphne's heart beneath the bark is throbbing.

They never spoke of love, but they called it forth, they loved it; and its delicious fascination cast a magical light over their life, and all which surrounded them. They walked pure and peaceful in each other's sight, illumined by the eye of God, as were the first loving couple on our earth in the Garden of Paradise.

THE SERPENT.

HERTHA said one day to Yngve :

"Yngve, help me to explain this old primeval story: but first I will read it aloud to you; its contradiction has long tormented me."

Hertha read:

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said

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sounded a harsh voice behind them, and at the same time some one was heard advancing with hasty steps. They turned round and saw Dr. Hedermann, who as soon as he had reached them took off his hat, wiped his forehead, and said:

"I think you must have wings at your feet. Here have I been on the full trot after you for the last quarter of an hour, all the way from the village yonder, in order to catch you. But you ran away as if you were afraid of Now confess that you saw me coming, and hastened away because you thought that I was going to the cottages after you, and you were afraid of being scolded by the wicked doctor, who is always finding fault with people, and especially with ladies and their goings-on. Confess!

me.

Was it not so ?"

But the young ladies had nothing of that kind to confess, nor did they seem afraid of the wicked doctor, but, on the contrary, glad to see him and to have his company the rest of the way. The three were now soon in the full discussion of their general family affairs, within the society, and of various measures and proceedings with regard to the sanitary management of the poor children. The good doctor and Ingeborg especially agreed on this subject, and while the twilight gathered around them and the stars came forth in the heavens, thoughts also and plans were suggested for the destitute little ones which would brighten their dim future..

Hertha took leave of her friends at her own door, and the doctor accompanied Ingeborg to her own home. But the conversation which had hitherto been carried on so easily, seemed now all at once to be stayed. A certain melancholy silence overcame the doctor, and he answered nothing to an attempt or two made by Ingeborg to renew the conversation. The two became silent; the doctor plucked now and then a little flower from the dewy grass, a blossom of fragrant white clover or a sprig of ladies'

"From the Christian point of view, certainly," replied Yngve," and when we look at portions of the narrative in detail and literally-taking it for granted that our translation from the original is perfectly faithful. And to me it has always seemed in these parts to bear traces of the darkness which belongs even to the profoundest views of nations during their age of childhood. But the basis of its idea seems to me true, and those detailed portions of the narrative may be explained from this point of view. For in order to become possessed of a full self-consciousness and to be a free agent, the human being must pass through a strong temptation. That is (in consequence of the spiritual-natural-law) for the human being to make of his own I the centre, instead of the true centre-God. Selfishness (as pride and love of pleasure) is the temptation, the serpent' which caused the human being to fail in his allegiance to his rightful Lord and Benefactor, and too soon for the sake of his own greatness, to grasp after that which was the forbidden fruit-forbidden only during the period of childhood, when the human being could not digest it. Obedience to, and faith in his highest benefactor were his first duties. The interdict which the Creator had imposed He could have removed; He could have appointed a time when He, the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom, would have taken the human child by the hand and led it to the tree of knowledge, and taught it what was good and what was evil. Knowledge as well as pleasure are forbidden only to the selfish principle in humanity. Man must attain to them only through firm obedience and love to God. The fall was this that the selfish principle conquered; that the human being became a god to himself, and sought to obtain the highest but not by means of the Highest. The natural and inevitable consequences of the fall are the loss of Paradise, the degradation, the darkening of the whole human world. The restoration begins with a new

decision than usual; "I know, dear mamma, that you would go merely for my sake, and I would much rather stay at home."

"You might just as well be a nun, and go into a convent," said Mrs. Uggla, both angry and vexed," as you have made up your mind to be an old maid, and live a stupid unnatural life."

"Is my mother then so tired of me that she wishes to get rid of me à tout prix?" said Ingeborg; "I am very sorry that you are so tired of me, mamma.”

"I am not, indeed, tired of you, my dear child,” said the poor old woman sighing, "but don't you see, it is for your own best interest. I know that my temper is bad, (ever since your father died it has got worse,) and that I cannot make your home happy, and it is distressing to me to see that you must wither away in it, and lose your good complexion, and have nervous headaches, and to hear people wonder that you don't get married; and I know that you might have made a good match if you had not been foolish, and if you, like other girls, would but take a little trouble to please gentlemen."

Let

"Never, never again in that way," replied Ingeborg with unusual emphasis. "If I cannot win a good husband otherwise than by my dress and my dancing, then let me remain for ever unmarried. My dear mother, we have hitherto only thought too much about this matter. us now endeavour not to think of it anymore; leave the whole calmly in our Lord's hand, and think of something else; for example, how we can make each other happy in our home, and serve God with the talent that he has given to us. Tell me, mamma, do you not think that I am looking more healthy, and that I am more cheerful than I used to be."

"Yes, that you certainly are."

"And the reason, dear mamma, is because I have begun to walk in another path than that of balls and

afraid of the selfish-the harrowing effect of such a feeling."

"But if you were loved by some one who, like yourself, loved the highest, should you then be afraid of responding to his feeling, Hertha-would you be afraid of loving -me?"

Hertha grew pale; cast a glance at Yngve, like a flash of lightning which is quickly concealed by cloud, and replied softly-"Yes."

The extraordinary confession in this word fanned to flame the long-cherished fire in Yngve's breast; he seized Hertha's hand, pressed it to his breast, as he exclaimed

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Beloved, beloved Hertha! Be not afraid of me; love me as I love you! God has given us to each other -I feel that deeply. Oh, you are mine, mine!"

But whilst Yngve thus gazed on Hertha with burning love, her countenance became paler and paler, and when his warm lips rested upon her lips and her eyelids, she whispered with unutterable depth of feeling:

"Oh, Yngve, why would you break the peace between

us ?"

She felt near fainting. "Give me a glass of water," she said hastily, to remove Yngve and to gain time to collect herself. Yngve rose.

It was not agreeable that the pastor's wife came in at that moment and interrupted the conversation of the lovers. And the delicious melon and other fruits which she brought with her did not prevent Yngve from wishing the good lady at the place where pepper grows, nor yet that Hertha, after a moment's pause, availed herself of her presence to leave the room.

Yngve followed her outside the door, when he said quickly, and with an anxious tenderness, "Hertha, I must see you, must talk with you to-morrow. I shall come to you!"