THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 FROM THE GERMAN OF W. HEIMBUBGj 
 
 I$Y 
 
 CHEISTINA TYEKELL. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LOKDOK: 
 RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, 
 
 NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1880. 
 (All rights reserved. )
 
 VRIXTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 LONDON AND BBCCLES.
 
 PT 
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 CHAPTEK I. 
 
 A BRIGHT wood fire is blazing on the 
 hearth in Baroness Derenberg's sitting- 
 room, giving to the dusky apartment 
 with its tall chimney-piece and old sculp- 
 tured furniture a cosy, home-like air. In 
 one of the deep window-recesses sits a 
 young girl of about fourteen, looking out 
 at the fading sunset glow of the short 
 winter day. Her delicate profile appears 
 sharply defined against the clear back- 
 ground of the window-pane. She has 
 folded her small hands, which lie idly in 
 
 VOL. I. 1
 
 2 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 her lap, and her thoughts are evidently 
 wandering far away. 
 
 " Mamma," she says, suddenly, turn- 
 ing her head with its wealth of fair curls 
 towards a pale, fragile-looking lady, who 
 sits in an armchair by the fire, knitting. 
 " Mamma, what a long, long while Army 
 is staying in grandmamma's room again. 
 We shall not get to the mill after all, and 
 it is high time we went there. Army has 
 only a week's leave, and four days of it 
 have gone by already. He promised me 
 for a certainty he would go with me to- 
 day. What must Lizzie think, that he 
 has not been down to see them yet ? " 
 
 While speaking, the girl had risen and 
 drawn nearer her mother. There was a 
 look of vexation on her childish face. 
 
 " Patience, Nelly," answered the 
 mother, stroking her daughter's bloom- 
 ing cheek. " You know, if grandmamma
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. O 
 
 wishes it, Army must remain with her ; 
 he must stay as long as she likes. Grand- 
 mamma has many things to say to him, 
 no doubt. Practise patience, my darling; 
 it is so necessary to us through life. 
 Light the lamp. Bemember, there is 
 yet much to be done to Army's linen." 
 
 The slight girlish figure, still so child- 
 like in its contours, flitted almost noise- 
 lessly over the parqueted floor, and soon 
 a bright light spread through the old- 
 fashioned, but comfortable, room, making 
 it look doubly snug and pleasant. The 
 Baroness rose from her chair by the fire, 
 and seated herself at a great round table. 
 The rays from the lamp now fell on 
 a pale, prepossessing countenance, on 
 which care had graven many deep, 
 sorrowful lines. Mother and daughter 
 were alike in feature, but at this mo- 
 ment how different in expression ! The
 
 4 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 youthful face opposite had brightened 
 suddenly, the long lashes were lifted, and 
 two great blue orbs flashed with a liappj r 
 gleam, for outside in the corridor a quick 
 elastic step was heard approaching. The 
 door of the room was thrown open, and 
 a dashing young officer entered. An 
 eager light beamed in his eyes, and the 
 bright, hopeful confidence natural to a 
 lad of nineteen was written on his sunny 
 brow. Nelly rushed up to him. 
 
 "Army, how glad I am you have 
 come ! Now we can go to the mill, 
 cannot we ? " she said, coaxingly, rais- 
 ing herself on tiptoe and winding her 
 arms about his neck. " I will run and 
 fetch my hood and cloak at once, for we 
 have no time to lose. They have supper 
 so punctually at the mill." 
 
 She would have hurried gleefully away. 
 
 " Nelly," cried the young man, catch-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 5 
 
 ing her by the arm. " Say no more 
 about this. It it is not suitable now." 
 
 "Not suitable now?" The young 
 girl looked up at her brother inquiringly. 
 
 "No, Nelly. You really must be 
 reasonable. As a child one may asso- 
 ciate with any one, just because one is 
 a child ; but for a man, an officer, hold- 
 ing a commission in the army, it would 
 not do " 
 
 " Well, you can come and see Lizzie, 
 at least. You always used to be so ready 
 to go there with me." 
 
 " Oh, Army," said the Baroness, "you 
 do not mean it seriously. They are most 
 worthy people down at the mill, and have 
 always been very good to you. It would 
 be ungrateful - " 
 
 " Mother, do reflect, I beg of you," he 
 replied, his dark eyes sparkling angrily. 
 " These people are a most uncivilised set.
 
 O LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Suppose the miller were to come over to 
 
 B one day, and to take it into his 
 
 head to call on me. A pretty state of 
 embarrassment I should he in ! " 
 
 "They are not an uncivilised set," 
 cried Nelly; "it is just grandmamma 
 who has been telling you that, because 
 she cannot endure the Ervings, or ' their 
 rags,' as she says." 
 
 " Their rags, that is just it," laughed 
 the young officer. " Let every one keep 
 to his own class. You yourself, Nelly, 
 will not always be able to be intimate 
 there. With the first long skirt that 
 trails behind you, it will be adieu, friend 
 Lizzie of the rag-mill ! " 
 
 "Never!" cried the girl, vehementlj'. 
 " I would run over to the mill in the 
 night if I were forbidden to go there in 
 the day-time. Lizzie is my only friend. 
 Whatever shall I say to explain your not 
 going ! " She burst into tears.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 7 
 
 " Oh, you will find some excuse, little 
 one ; don't cry," said her brother, con- 
 solingly. His voice was soft and tender 
 now, just as it had often been in the old 
 days when he had broken his sister's doll, 
 and knew not what comfort to offer. 
 
 " Dear Army," she pleaded, looking up 
 at him hopefully; "you only meant to 
 tease me. We are going to the mill, are 
 we not?" 
 
 He stood for a moment irresolute. 
 Before his mental vision there flitted the 
 well-known figure of a small maiden, as 
 he had seen her a hundred times of old 
 Lizzie, little Lizzie of the paper-mill 
 down in the hollow. She looked up at 
 him with sunny blue childish eyes ; her 
 red lips whispered, " Army, come with 
 me, come to Aunty. She has apples for 
 us, and I have found a bird's nest in the 
 park. Come, Army, come." Mechani-
 
 8 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 cally lie made a movement, as though to 
 seize his cap which lay on the table. 
 The light from the lamp caught a 
 sparkling ring on his hand; it was 
 a richly enchased emerald, on which 
 glittered a hear, the Derenberg crest. 
 His glance rested on it for a moment ; 
 then he snatched up the cap and threw 
 it on to a side-table. " Don't worry 
 me," he said shortly, and turned away. 
 
 A long silence ensued. The young girl 
 went back to her place at the table, 
 bending her head low over her work ; but 
 the little fingers which plied the needle 
 trembled violently, and great tears fell 
 from her eyes on to the white material 
 she was sewing. The Baroness sighed, 
 and followed her son with sad, wistful 
 looks, as he paced restlessly up and 
 down the room. The old rococo clock 
 struck six, and began to play some
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 9 
 
 long-forgotten love-song. The sweet 
 simple melody echoed through the lofty 
 chamber, then died away, and still a 
 troubled silence reigned among these 
 three who yet were bound together by 
 love's tenderest ties. 
 
 "Army," said the pale lady, at length, 
 " when did grandmamma give you the 
 ring you are wearing on your ringer ? " 
 
 He stopped before the fire-place, and 
 thrust the poker in between the glowing 
 embers, so that the sparks flew high. 
 Then he answered 
 
 " This afternoon, just now, when I was 
 in her room." 
 
 " Do you know that it is your father's 
 ring, Army? " 
 
 The young man turned quickly. " No, 
 mother, Granny did not tell me that. 
 She merely spoke in a general way about 
 the crest and its significance, and ..."
 
 10 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Well, my sou, then / will tell you." 
 The Baroness's voice faltered, and shook 
 with repressed agitation. " It is the ring 
 grandmamma drew from your father's 
 cold and stiffened hand after he ... 
 when he was dead." The last words 
 ended with a half-stifled cry, and the 
 speaker sank back in her chair, shattered, 
 as it were, by her emotion. 
 
 " My dear, good little mother ! " ex- 
 claimed Army, hurrying to her side, while 
 Nelly, stooping over her, nestled her 
 cheek against the wan face over which 
 bitter tears were streaming. 
 
 " Don't cry, dear mother," implored 
 the young man. " I will hold the ring 
 high in honour, to show how proud the 
 son is of his father's memory. I will 
 strive to become as good, as noble of 
 heart as he was." 
 
 In these words, in the look he raised to
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 11 
 
 his weeping mother's face, there lay the 
 genuine conviction of an unspoiled filial 
 heart, the absolute faith which endows 
 the dead father with all fairest qualities, 
 and regards him as the best of men. But 
 his speech produced a strange, an over- 
 whelming effect. The Baroness started 
 from her chair ; her frail form was drawn 
 erect. She gazed at her son vacantly as 
 one distraught, and then exclaimed, in 
 wild tones of horror 
 
 " My Army, too ! Oh, Almighty Father, 
 spare me that, spare me but that ! " 
 
 " My mother is ill," cried the young 
 man, and hurried to the bell ; but the 
 sound of a weak voice whispering, " Come 
 back, Army, it is over now," recalled him 
 to her side. 
 
 She took a glass of water thankfully, 
 and said, with- an attempt at a smile 
 
 " I have frightened you both, poor
 
 12 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 children. The remembrance of your 
 father's death is full of anguish to me, 
 even after this lapse of years; but now 
 that Army is about to go out into the 
 world, I must speak to you of the past, 
 which I have hitherto always avoided 
 doing. You must often have wondered 
 to yourselves," she continued, after a 
 pause "why we lead so simple and 
 retired a life ; a life from which all luxury 
 is so rigorously banished. Ah, Army, it 
 is not for myself, it is for you both I 
 grieve ! You will find yourself in the 
 most cruel position imaginable, and all 
 this trouble has been brought upon you 
 by the boundless folly of your . . ." 
 
 She stopped as though in alarm at her 
 own words, 'and broke into a flood of 
 bitter tears. 
 
 Armand stood by the fire-place with 
 knitted brows, watching intently and
 
 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 13 
 
 anxiously for what should come next. 
 The sunny expression had vanished from 
 his face, swept away, as it were, hy some 
 stormy gust of feeling, and about his 
 mouth were lines telling of grievous dis- 
 appointment. 
 
 "When your father brought me home, 
 a bride I was then a child of sixteen 
 all was gaiety here and splendour," went 
 on the Baroness. " Castle Derenberg 
 had for long years been famous for its 
 hospitality, and your grandmamma well 
 knew how to attract guests to the house. 
 She was at that time still very beautiful, 
 almost as enchanting as she is repre- 
 sented in the great picture upstairs in 
 the portrait-gallery ; and she loved luxury 
 and grandeur. To me she was then so 
 kind and good, I really thought I had 
 found in her a second mother. Ah, that 
 brief, brilliant period was the fairest of
 
 14 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 my life ! When I pressed you to my 
 heart, Armand, and you, my Nelly, it 
 seemed to me that nothing was wanting 
 to my happiness. Then came the terrible 
 shock of your father's sudden death. 
 Swiftly, and without any warning, mis- 
 fortunes poured in upon us." She 
 shuddered, and pressed her trembling 
 hands to her temples, as though trying 
 to convince herself that the events she 
 was narrating really belonged to a far 
 bygone past. " After his death a trustee 
 was appointed me in the person of old 
 Councillor Hellwig. It soon appeared 
 that our affairs were in the most terrible 
 disorder. Look which way we might, 
 there were mortgages, bonds, unpaid 
 bills. Grandmamma and I suddenly 
 found ourselves involved in a labyrinth 
 of debt and difficulty. How many sleep- 
 less nights, how many days of care have
 
 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 15 
 
 passed since then ! And to this hour, in 
 spite of all old Hellwig's exertions, no 
 ray of light has won its way into the 
 chaos." 
 
 " Do not distress yourself, dear mother," 
 entreated the young officer. " Of course, 
 I have long known that our means were 
 very limited, though I could not guess 
 that we were so poor as you say. But, 
 courage ! better times will surely come, 
 and grandmamma was saying to me just 
 now that things are not so desperate, as 
 we may expect to inherit a considerable 
 fortune from Aunt Stontheim." 
 
 " Yes, grandmamma believes in your 
 chance of this fortune, but ..." 
 
 " She thinks," broke in the young 
 man, eagerly, " she thinks I ought to go 
 and pay my respects to Aunt Stontheim 
 before I join my regiment." 
 
 " I have no objection to your doing so,
 
 10 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 my son ; and I sincerely hope that grand- 
 mamma may not be mistaken in her 
 views; but we must not forget that the 
 Konigsburg Derenbergs have as good a 
 title to inherit as we have. The daughter 
 of Colonel von Derenberg, of the 16th, 
 can lay claim to precisely the same right 
 as you and Nelly." 
 
 At this moment Sanna, the Baroness's 
 old waiting-woman, opened the great 
 folding-doors, and the elder Madame von 
 Derenberg entered the room. Stately 
 and commanding of aspect, she carried 
 herself well erect, despite her sixty years, 
 and wore the simple grey woollen dress, 
 in which she was now clad, with the 
 same grace and dignity wherewith she 
 had once borne through these apartments 
 her heavy silken trains. Her abundant 
 hair, raven still in its hue and drawn 
 slightly back from the temples, was
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 17 
 
 covered by a little cap, from beneath the 
 yellowish lace of which her magnificent 
 black eyes blazed forth with all the fire 
 of youth. There was an aristocratic air, 
 a look of breeding, about her whole 
 appearance, and her delicate features 
 wore an expression of unconquerable 
 pride. How old the careworn, sickly 
 daughter-in-law looked beside the im- 
 posing figure of this gentlewoman ! 
 
 Armand hastened towards her, took 
 from her a great book she held in her 
 hand, and led her to the fire, about 
 which Sanna had placed several chairs 
 in readiness. The little granddaughter 
 had sprung from her seat at sight of the 
 new-comer, and the pale lady furtively 
 wiped the last lingering tears from her 
 eyes. 
 
 " What was the subject under dis- 
 cussion ? " asked the old Baroness, taking 
 
 VOL. I. 2
 
 18 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 a seat next tlie fire, and dismissing the 
 maid with a wave of the hand. " I heard 
 something ahout * the same right as you 
 and Nelly.' " 
 
 " We were speaking of Aunt Stontheim 
 and of the succession to the property," 
 replied her daughter-in-law, taking the 
 opposite chair ; " that made me think of 
 the Konigsburg Derenbergs, and I was 
 saying that Blanche was just as much 
 entitled to inherit the fortune as our 
 children." 
 
 " Blanche! What an idea ! " cried 
 the old lady, with a shrug of the 
 shoulders. " That red-haired consump- 
 tive creature ? Madam Stontheim has 
 too good taste, thank God, to make such 
 a mistake as that. Besides, if I remem- 
 ber rightly, she always entertained a 
 most well-founded dislike to that swag- 
 gering Colonel and his washed-out look-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 19 
 
 ing spouse, whom lie picked up, Heaven 
 knows where in some corner of England 
 or Scotland, I think. She was a Miss 
 Smith, or a Miss Newman, was she not ? 
 It was some common name of that sort. 
 No, Cornelia, this is merely another of 
 those groundless, far-fetched notions with 
 which you torment yourself and others." 
 
 An ironical tone pervaded this speech. 
 The haughty dame was generally ironical 
 when she addressed her daughter-in-law. 
 
 "I only meant," returned the latter, 
 gently, " I only meant that one must 
 not count with too great certainty." 
 She paused. "Life brings so many dis- 
 appointments, that really ..." 
 
 " Bah ! " interrupted the old lady, 
 angrily. " Army will find his way to 
 the querulous old .woman's heart, and 
 will manage matters so that her really 
 princely fortune will descend to him."
 
 20 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "What do you mean by that, Granny?" 
 the young man's clear tones now sud- 
 denly struck in. "I should hope you 
 do not desire me to go legacy-hunting, 
 as it is called. I shall behave politely 
 to her, as a gentleman should behave 
 to a lady, but that will be all. I can't 
 manoeuvre and humbug. What she does 
 not give me of her own free will, she 
 can keep to herself." 
 
 In some astonishment, the old lady 
 raised herself from her negligent attitude 
 in the arm-chair, and her eyes sparkled 
 with indignation at this outspoken pro- 
 test, as she fixed them on her grandson's 
 face. 
 
 "Would you believe this possible from 
 a young fledgeling of his age ? " she 
 asked, in a tone which she endeavoured 
 to render playful, but which vibrated with 
 real anger. "What, Army, have you
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 21 
 
 laid aside respect for your elders with 
 your cadet's coat, and do you imagine, 
 because your epaulets are a week old, 
 you can instruct your grandmother, and 
 afford to despise her counsels ? You are 
 too young still to form a right judg- 
 ment of the situation on which you 
 are about to enter. Is it legacy-hunting, 
 when one endeavours to win the heart 
 of an old relation ? " 
 
 "Yes, Granny," said Armand, stoutly, 
 not a muscle of his handsome face relax- 
 ing beneath her gaze. " Yes, it is fortune- 
 hunting when one tries to win a person's 
 heart, in the hope of getting his or her 
 money." 
 
 " Which is absolutely necessary, if one 
 does not want to starve on a crusfc all 
 one's life, and drag out one's days in a 
 castle without domains or revenue," 
 interrupted the old Baroness, angrily,
 
 22 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 with a pettish little jerk of her chair 
 backwards. 
 
 "That I admit, Granny; and I should 
 not have spoken so decidedly, if I had 
 not known there was another heiress. 
 But as Blanche " 
 
 " That Blanche again ! What do you 
 know ahout her? Are you sure even 
 that the poor sickly creature is still 
 living ? How distressing it is to hear 
 children, who have harely left school, 
 parading their wonderful wisdom ! I 
 desire that you go to your aunt Stont- 
 heim, Armand, and I will brook no con- 
 tradiction. The letter announcing your 
 arrival will be sent to-day." 
 
 " Certainly, Granny. I am ready to 
 go as soon as you wish," said Army, with 
 cool politeness. 
 
 She rose. Her proud face was suffused 
 with a crimson flush, and there was a
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 23 
 
 hard obstinate expression in the lines 
 about her mouth. Never had the like- 
 ness between the old lady and her grand- 
 son been more strikingly apparent. With 
 flashing eyes and lips tightly set, they 
 confronted each other in a hostile atti- 
 tude, neither willing to yield an inch. 
 
 " You will leave to-morrow by the five 
 o'clock coach," said the grandmother, 
 coldly and decidedly ; then, without wait- 
 ing for the young man's bow of assent, 
 she took leave of her dismayed daughter- 
 in-law by a slight inclination of the head, 
 and walked out of the room. 
 
 A painful silence reigned when the 
 folding-doors had closed behind the tall 
 figure of the old Baroness. Though he 
 had so audaciously ventured to oppose 
 the haughty woman, whose word was as 
 law to every soul in the house, the 
 young man now stood quietly by the
 
 24 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 chinmey-piece, looking down at the blaz- 
 ing fire, calm and indifferent as though 
 nothing unusual had happened. Nelly 
 gazed over at her brother with wide, 
 wondering eyes. He was not like him- 
 self to-day. No one spoke. After a 
 while old Sanna came into the room 
 again. She carried a letter in her hand, 
 and asked : 
 
 " Does my lady want anything brought 
 from the village ? Henry has to go to 
 the post. It is snowing so hard just 
 now, he might do both errands at once." 
 
 The Baroness answered in the negative, 
 and the old servant speedily disappeared. 
 Armand meanwhile had sat down at the 
 table, and was turning over the leaves of 
 the book he had taken from his grand- 
 mother's hands shortly before. 
 
 " Ah, here is something about our 
 lovely ancestress, Agneta Maud, who is
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 25 
 
 up in the portrait gallery," tie cried, joy- 
 fully. "Here, little sis, this is interest- 
 ing. Come and listen." 
 
 The young girl went up to him, bent 
 over the back of his chair, and looked 
 curiously down at the ancient yellow 
 page covered with faded written cha- 
 racters very hard to decipher. 
 
 Army read, spelling out the words with 
 difficulty : " On the 30th November of the 
 year 1694, the body of the high-born lady, 
 Agneta Maud, Baroness Derenberg, Lady 
 of the Manor of Derenberg, Schiitten- 
 felde and Braunsbach, by birth Baroness 
 Krobitz of the House of Trauen, was 
 solemnly interred in the ancestral vaults 
 of this Castle of Derenberg in a manner in 
 all things conformable with the directions 
 left by her in writing. To wit : the bier 
 stood in the great hall next the chapel, 
 the coffin being covered by two palls,
 
 26 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 first a greater white one, and over this 
 a black velvet pall having a cross worked 
 in cloth of silver. Thereupon lay a 
 silver-gilt crucifix. The sides were orna- 
 mented with eight smaller, the ends at 
 head and foot with larger escutcheons 
 hearing the conjoined arms of the Deren- 
 herg and Trauen houses richly em- 
 broidered on yellow satin. The coffin 
 was borne into the chapel by nobles of 
 the country round, who had partaken of 
 many a goodly banquet here. Imme- 
 diately following the corpse came the six 
 sons of the deceased together with the 
 deeply afflicted widower. ..." 
 
 u This is tiresome," said the young 
 officer, breaking off; " but see here, 
 a little farther on." 
 
 "And this lady, Agneta Maud, Baroness 
 Derenberg, was by all accounts a proud 
 and discreet woman who stood faithfully
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 27 
 
 by her husband through all perils and 
 dangers. She was tall of stature and 
 slender, and her hair was red of hue, the 
 which might have been taken as no good 
 sign, according to the proverb 
 
 ' In woman, horse, and hound, 
 Beauty is the thing of worth, 
 Beauty and good birth. 
 Can'st find such free from trick and vice 
 Hast a treasure of great price. 
 But, beware ! Look to the haire ! 
 If redde, be sure 'twill prove a snare, 
 Let it not thee entice.' 
 
 Yet it would not appear that she was 
 more cunning or versed in tricks than 
 others of her sex, but showed herself 
 always a discreet and noble lady. So 
 notable was her beauty, that a cavalier, 
 who was enslaved by her charms, and 
 to whom she would accord no favourable 
 hearing, took his own life in despair at 
 her obduracy the which may God for- 
 give him ! And she found him stretched
 
 28 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 in his blood before the entrance-door of 
 her chamber, so that a great alarm seized 
 upon her, and in that hour she was over- 
 taken by a fever so fierce that it was 
 thought she would miserably perish 
 from the effects of it. But the great 
 Giver of all blessings sent her a happy 
 recovery; notwithstanding which, from 
 that day forth no sound of laughter 
 issued from her lips ; and the cavalier, 
 who is said to have been a lord of Streit- 
 nitz, was laid to his rest here in the 
 Castle garden." 
 
 1 'What do you say to that, little 
 mother?" cried Army, quite excited by 
 his discovery. " I can fancy a man 
 committing suicide for her sake ! Hers 
 is a wonderful face ! I wish I could take 
 the picture with me, and hang it up in 
 my quarters. She must have been a 
 charming creature, this Agneta Maud ! "
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 29 
 
 " Why, Army," said the Baroness, 
 smiling. "I had no idea that your first, 
 passion had for its object a fair one long- 
 deceased. Well, at all events, we need 
 not fear it will prove a very dangerous 
 affair, need we, Nelly ? " 
 
 Nelly made no reply. The little party 
 could not regain its wonted cheerfulness 
 that evening. The young girl sat silently 
 bending over her work, thinking what 
 excuse she could offer for her brother to 
 Lizzie. Armand plunged anew into his 
 study of the old book, and the transient 
 smile soon vanished from the Baroness's 
 lips. Every now and then she would pass 
 her hand across her eyes and sigh heavily, 
 and each time a deep-drawn sigh reached 
 her children's ears they, by common 
 accord, would turn their heads and glance 
 with concern and anxious enquiry at 
 their mother's care-lined face ; then they
 
 30 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 went back to their several occupa- 
 tions. 
 
 " My lady wishes to take tea in her 
 own room," said old Sanna, appearing 
 again. " She begs to be excused from 
 coming in to supper. My lady has a 
 bad headache." 
 
 The ancient waiting-woman carried 
 a tray on which stood an old-fashioned 
 tea-pot, and a cup and saucer of quaint 
 design. She was evidently about to take 
 up her mistress's tea. As she stood at 
 the door waiting for an answer, she 
 scrutinised the three occupants of the 
 room narrowly, to ascertain, no doubt, 
 what effect her news would produce on 
 them. The dreamy lady sitting over the 
 fire seemed not to have heard the 
 message; she started when her little 
 daughter replied kindly 
 
 " We are very sorry indeed to hear
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 31 
 
 that, Sanna dear; and we wish grand- 
 mamma a speedy recovery." 
 
 " Is your mistress ill, Sanna?" asked 
 the Baroness. 
 
 "Yes," replied the maid, drawing up 
 her great angular figure to its full height, 
 and fixing her severe grey eyes on the 
 startled face of the lady who addressed 
 her. " Her ladyship must have been 
 taken ill here, for she was suffering from 
 violent palpitation when she came up- 
 stairs to her room. I have had to mix 
 three soothing powders for her already. 
 It is to he hoped no worse may come 
 of it." 
 
 There was something reproachful and 
 impertinent in this answer less in the 
 words themselves than in its tone, and in 
 the expression of the old woman's face. 
 A hot flush mounted to the Baroness 
 Derenberg's pale cheek.
 
 32 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "I am sorry to hear it," she replied, 
 raising her voice a little, and motioning 
 to Sanna to withdraw ; " and I trust your 
 mistress will be better to-morrow." 
 
 " Very well," replied the old servant, 
 and turned to leave the room, in obe- 
 dience to the sign given her. There was 
 now no mistaking the overt hostility 
 displayed in her attitude, and stamped on 
 the hard features beneath her quilled cap. 
 
 Armand had sprung from his seat. His 
 face was crimson with indignation, and 
 he turned sharply on the woman as she 
 went. 
 
 " Army, I beg of you, let her be," said 
 the Baroness. " You will only make 
 matters worse by attempting to call her 
 to account. She has always been the 
 same. The hot Southern blood will show 
 itself in her, as in her mistress and 
 then, she fairly worships your grand-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 33 
 
 mother. You know, Army, that she 
 came with her from Venice, lived with 
 her during the period of her prosperity, 
 and now faithfully shares in all her cares 
 and privations. Sanna has many good 
 qualities. Fidelity such as hers is rare ; 
 and she loves you children, and especially 
 you, Army, with all her heart. She is 
 very old, too, and one must make allow- 
 ances, and pass over a good deal." 
 
 Armand made no reply. He took up 
 his cap. " I must go out for a little 
 while, or I shall not sleep," he said, half- 
 apologetically, kissed his mother's hand, 
 and left the room. 
 
 Outside in the cold lofty corridor, he 
 hesitated a moment as to where he should 
 go. " I must fetch a coat first," he 
 thought, and strode down the long pas- 
 sage to his own room. He was in a 
 strange, a perturbed frame of mind to- 
 
 VOL. I. 3
 
 34 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 day. For the first time life's stern 
 realities had been brought forcibly before 
 him. He had known, of course, that his 
 family was poor; but in true boyish 
 fashion he had accepted the fact, not 
 thinking out the matter further. Now 
 his grandmother had spoken to him on 
 the subject, and at the same time had set 
 before him the prospect of a handsome 
 fortune, to be inherited in the future. 
 Unfortunately, there were other claims 
 to this inheritance : there was "that little 
 red-haired creature," as his grandmother 
 had called her, to be taken into account. 
 
 His thoughts reverted to the beautiful 
 Agneta Maud. What was it the verse 
 said? 
 
 " Beware ! Look to the haire ! 
 If redde, be sure 'twill prove a snare." 
 
 Would the red hair bode him ill, he 
 wondered ? But, no ; he was a man, and 
 had no turn for such foolish fancies.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 35 
 
 Granny had said, "All my hopes rest 
 on you, Army, and on the Stontheim 
 fortune," and he had replied roughly, 
 throwing at her something about " legacy- 
 hunting." To he sure, there was that 
 Blanche to be thought of, that little 
 carrotty Blanche the remembrance of 
 her would come up again. Well, Aunt 
 Stontheim might divide the money 
 among the three Blanche, Nelly, and 
 himself. Yes, that would be a way out 
 of the difficulty. Perhaps, after all, 
 everything would come right in the end. 
 
 He began to feel chilly. Going up to 
 the hearth he threw a handful of brush- 
 wood on the waning fire. The flames 
 shot up, crackling among the dry twigs, 
 and casting a fitful, uncertain light over 
 the parqueted floor. Their red glare 
 brought into bright relief the gilt foliage 
 wherewith the old chimney-piece was
 
 36 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 ornamented, and the young man's eyes 
 absently followed the windings of the oak 
 leaves which ran beneath the mantel-shelf 
 garlandwise, framing in the centre a 
 tablet bearing this legend, 
 
 an old adage dating from long bygone 
 times. " ' Luck cometh any day,' " he 
 murmured to himself. Had he never read 
 the words before ? They took a powerful 
 hold on him in this hour. Might not his 
 luck turn, and fortune smile on him 
 again ? 
 
 He looked up at the splendid antlers 
 which decorated the room tokens, one 
 and all, of the prowess of former Deren- 
 bergs, as the appended labels, marked 
 with name and date, testified the proud 
 spoil of many a happy hunting bout in 
 their own woods, those woods which were
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 37 
 
 now all sold or mortgaged. But it might 
 even yet be possible why not ? that 
 he himself should hunt and shoot there 
 where his forefathers had so often stalked 
 the deer. Away with sombre, foolish 
 fancies ! Life lay before him, life so rich 
 in hope, and so alluring surely, luck 
 might come any day. 
 
 Sunshine spread over his young face 
 again. His heart beat high in his breast, 
 and he felt himself strong and ready to 
 meet all the storms before him. For- 
 wards, on into the beating waves. The 
 madder their fury, the better the fight. 
 Be it pain or pleasure, he would take it 
 as it came. A life without a struggle is 
 not half a life. " I will beg Granny's 
 pardon about the legacy-hunting," he 
 thought; " and I must try and persuade 
 my mother not to look so sad. What is 
 the use of being so miserable ? Even the
 
 38 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 little one hung her head. Ah, but that 
 was about Lizzie, young Lizzie of the 
 mill. Bah ! a trifle not worth mention- 
 ing, as she would see herself later on ! " 
 
 He whistled a merry tune as he paced 
 down the corridor again on his way back 
 to his mother's sitting-room.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 39 
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 NEXT morning Armand, bright and buoy- 
 ant as ever, repaired to Ms grandmother's 
 presence, and sought forgiveness for his 
 last night's offence. He was promptly 
 taken into favour again. True, the old 
 lady shrugged her shoulders and smiled, 
 as he propounded to her his famous plan 
 of sharing the property with the as yet 
 unknown Blanche. 
 
 "You are a fantastic boy," she said 
 lightly. She did not attempt to con- 
 tradict him, however, but pointed to a 
 stool at her feet, adding, " Sit down ; I
 
 40 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 have some things yet to say to you 
 before we part." 
 
 The Dowager's rooms were still fitted 
 up with the luxurious furniture purchased 
 for them in her early days, and at the 
 first glance they almost gave the idea of 
 splendour ; but on closer observation it 
 became evident that the colour of the 
 heavy crimson hangings had faded, and 
 that the silken coverings of the seats 
 showed threadbare here and there. 
 Nevertheless, the curtained doors and 
 windows, the elegant rosewood furniture 
 and great Turkey carpet gave to the 
 apartment an air of refined comfort, and 
 weU-nigh of luxury. On the waUs, hand- 
 somely mounted in gilt frames, hung 
 a series of smiling Italian landscapes. 
 These pictures were so many souvenirs 
 of the happy days spent by the Baroness 
 then the young and much-admired
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 41 
 
 Countess Luja in Venice and Naples, 
 the memories of which days would at 
 times help her to forget the dreary 
 present. 
 
 "I need not give you any hint as to 
 the line of conduct you should adopt 
 towards your Aunt Stontheim, Army," 
 she began, cleverly avoiding the rock on 
 which they had so nearly split the night 
 before ; "you will know very well how 
 to behave. Remember me kindly to her, 
 and tell her I am nothing now but a 
 tiresome, weary old woman." 
 
 " Ah ! I must decline that commission, 
 Granny," said Armand, gallantly. " I 
 cannot really burthen my conscience 
 with a lie." 
 
 The old lady smiled, flattered by his 
 little compliment, and tapped him lightly 
 on the cheek. " For shame ! to be 
 satirical to your old grandmother ! "
 
 42 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Army kissed her hand. "And what 
 else has my grandmother to say to 
 me?" 
 
 " Ah ! yon remind me, there is one 
 warning I must give you. You are going 
 out into the world at an early age, and 
 you have inherited the warm, the pas- 
 sionate temperament of my ancestors. 
 Enjoy your youth to your heart's content, 
 but beware of any serious attachment. 
 The bride you bring home must unite 
 much in herself. We must have an old 
 family and money, Army plenty of 
 money. This is one of the few ways 
 open to you by which you may retrieve 
 the fallen fortunes of your house. Well, 
 that is all," she concluded. " Promise 
 to write to me occasionally, and there 
 remains nothing more to the said between 
 
 us." 
 
 The young officer smiled. " Certainly,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 43 
 
 Granny, I will write soon, for I shall have 
 plenty of time on my hands, and you 
 need not be nneasy ; I can hardly think 
 of marriage yet. Why, I am only just 
 nineteen." He laughed outright. There 
 was no trace of yesterday's shadow to be 
 seen on his bright face. " May I say 
 good-bye now, Granny ? " he asked. " I 
 want to take one turn through the portrait 
 gallery, and pay a parting visit to the fair 
 Agneta Maud. Look here, granny, I can 
 set your mind at rest at once. Unless I 
 meet with a girl with a face like hers, 
 I'll never marry at all, for she is my ideal 
 of what a woman should be." 
 
 " Do you mean that Maud with the 
 red hair ? " asked the old lady in surprise. 
 
 He nodded. " I have a weakness for 
 red hair. By-the-by, Granny, may I keep 
 the book you brought downstairs yester- 
 day evening ? "
 
 44 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 " Certainly. It is a family chronicle, 
 and I intended it for you." 
 
 " Thanks a thousand thanks ! Well, 
 good-bye till dinner time." 
 
 Whistling a tune, he strode along the 
 corridor to the old family portrait-gallery, 
 and was soon standing before the picture 
 of the fair Agneta Maud. The small, 
 well-formed head was brought up in 
 relief from the background with almost 
 a sculptor's art; a cloud of luxuriant 
 golden, nay, red hair, was drawn back 
 from the white brow and confined in a 
 little cap of some silver tissue. Below 
 the smooth forehead, below the sharply 
 defined eyebrows, which formed so strik- 
 ing a contrast to the bright hair, a pair 
 of great dark eyes looked forth, gazing 
 at the spectator with an expression of 
 deep, unfathomable melancholy gazing 
 dreamily, wistfully, as though ever in
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 45 
 
 quest of some lost happiness. The light 
 which stole into the gallery was faint and 
 suhdued. Armand drew back the curtain 
 of the window nearest him, and the cold 
 clear rays of the winter sun streamed in, 
 illumining the lovely face and the warm, 
 tints of the hair, so that it seemed to 
 glisten with innumerable golden threads ; 
 and again those eyes worked with their 
 old magic on the young man those 
 deep, dreamy eyes, full of an ineffable 
 sadness. 
 
 Suddenly he heard a light footstep, and 
 his sister's rosy little hand was laid on 
 his shoulder. 
 
 "So here you are, Army? We are 
 just going to dinner. Do come down. 
 You will have to start directly, and I 
 have not seen you the whole morning." 
 
 He drew the young girl to him. " Look 
 me in the face, Nelly," he said, putting
 
 46 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Ms hand under the little chin, and raising 
 it to him. 
 
 " Are you all right now, or do you feel 
 angry with me still ? " 
 
 Her eyes were moist with dew as she 
 raised them to her brother's face, but she 
 shook her head and smiled. 
 
 " Angry? No, oh no. But do come 
 away, it is so cold here." 
 
 He took her hand, and together they 
 walked towards the door. Before closing 
 it, Armand turned to have one last look 
 at the picture. 
 
 " ' Beware ! Look to the haire ! 
 If redde, be sure 'twill prove a snare. 
 Let it not thee entice,' " 
 
 he muttered to himself. 
 
 Hardly an hour later old Sanna stood 
 upstairs at one of the windows of the 
 great corridor, looking after Army as he 
 departed. He had taken leave of his
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 47 
 
 sorrowing mother, and was just crossing 
 the open space in front of the Castle, 
 Nelly following him, wrapped in her little 
 cloak. She would not be denied the 
 pleasure of remaining near her brother up 
 to the very last moment. 
 
 " Ah, he is his grandmamma all over," 
 murmured old Sanaa to herself. " It 
 gladdens one's heart just to look at him." 
 She shaded her eyes with her hand, that 
 she might see him better. " No one will 
 say him nay. He may have any girl he 
 chooses. The richest, the handsomest 
 will be glad to take him. He'll not be 
 as unfortunate as his father was before 
 him. Oh, if my lady could but live to 
 see the Castle alive with gay doings, as 
 in the old days ! It would make her 
 young and handsome again. Holy saints 
 in Heaven, how I would thank ye on my 
 knees for it ! "
 
 48 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Meanwhile the brother and sister 
 stepped briskly on down the old lime 
 avenue. Wonderfully beautiful was the 
 winter scene which lay before them. 
 Far away in the distance, framed as it 
 were in the trees, glistened the snow- 
 covered mountains. On one side could 
 be seen the white roofs of the village, from 
 almost every chimney of which a column 
 of smoke rose perpendicularly in the cold 
 clear air; on the other, a grand stretch 
 of forest clothed the hill- side ; while 
 everywhere, over hill and dale, a daz- 
 zling, fleckless sheet was spread. All 
 nature was still as death. From time to 
 time there came only the hoarse caw, 
 caw of a swarm of crows as they rose 
 from the trees, scattering from the 
 branches the gleaming snow-flakes which 
 drifted slowly to the ground; and over 
 the whole landscape lay the rosy shimmer
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 49 
 
 of the setting sun, declining gradually on 
 the far horizon in a violet sea of wondrous 
 hue. 
 
 The young man's eyes wandered over 
 the lovely picture before him. 
 
 " Look, Nelly," said he ; "all this, as 
 far as your eye can reach, was ours once." 
 
 "The paper-mill, too? " asked the little 
 sister, pointing to its slate-tiled gables. 
 
 " Not the mill itself, but a considerable 
 portion of the land now belonging to it. 
 Our grandfather sold some of the Deren- 
 berg woods to the miller when he was in 
 difficulties so Granny has told me. The 
 man has grand shooting of his own now, 
 while we " 
 
 Army passed his hand across his eyes 
 then he laughed, and began to whistle. 
 He was resolved not to give way to 
 dismal thoughts. 
 
 At the park gate he turned once more, 
 
 VOL. I. 4
 
 50 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 and looked back down the long avenue. 
 The great portico of the castle gleamed 
 white in the distance. Its broad steps 
 were thickly carpeted with snow, which 
 the wind had drifted and piled up against 
 the massive doors. Beautiful as the 
 enchanted castle of some fairy tale his 
 ancestral home appeared, flooded by the 
 light from the setting sun now intensely 
 crimson in its glow. The windows shone 
 like liquid gold over to where the young 
 man stood roseate and golden as the 
 dreams of the future which had dawned 
 in his sanguine mind. 
 
 " There must be a change here," he 
 said. " There must, I am determined." 
 
 He turned and followed his sister. 
 
 In silence they went on together. At 
 length the young officer stopped, and 
 looked at his watch. 
 
 " I must step out now, little sis, if I
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 51 
 
 want to catch the mail," said he. " You 
 go back, dear. You will only get your 
 feet chilled, trudging through this deep 
 snow. Good-bye, little one ; my love to 
 them all once again. Try not to mope. 
 You must find the time long in that 
 solitary old castle." He looked down at 
 her almost compassionately. 
 
 She shook her head. " Oh no ; I have- 
 Lizzie, remember." 
 
 They stood just at the spot where the 
 bypath by which they had come issued 
 into the high-road ; directly opposite them 
 lay another path which led through a fir 
 plantation down to the mill. Here, on 
 the hill, stood a great lime-tree, spreading 
 its branches wide over a snow-covered 
 seat. From this point the high-road 
 declined rapidly towards the village' 
 below, whence the note of a post-horn 
 was now distinctly heard ascending.
 
 52 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Must I depart, so kiss me, sweet heart, 
 Kiss me right tenderly ; 'tis hard to leave thee. 
 Farewell, farewell." 
 
 sang a clear childish voice, trilling forth 
 the melody in joyous ringing tones, some- 
 what at variance with the sorrowful 
 refrain. Next minute a young girl stepped 
 out from among the firs. She started on 
 seeing the two figures on the other side 
 of the road. A deep blush overspread 
 the childish face, and a pair of beautiful 
 blue eyes were lowered suddenly, as 
 though in alarm but this was momen- 
 tary. She went quickly up to the brother 
 and sister, a bright smile playing about 
 her sweet mouth, and forming two 
 delicious little dimples in her cheeks. 
 
 " Oh, Nelly, how glad I am I met you ! 
 And you, Army," she asked, innocently, 
 and without a trace of shyness, " you are 
 going away already, and have not been 
 down once to see us at the Mill ? "
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 53 
 
 The young officer crimsoned, as he met 
 the gaze of those blue eyes, and felt 
 the grasp of the little hand which held 
 his in childish fashion. He was not yet 
 sufficiently an adept in this world's ways 
 to invent an excuse on the spur of the 
 moment. The smile disappeared from 
 the lovely rosy face which was uplifted to 
 him with an enquiring, reproachful look. 
 
 " Army has to leave quite suddenly," 
 said Nelly; "else" she hesitated it 
 was impossible to her to tell a lie to this 
 trustful young creature. She could have 
 cried for shame ; and in her distress she 
 turned to her brother, as though implor- 
 ing his aid. 
 
 But the few words she had spoken were 
 enough for her friend. " Good Army ! " 
 she said, quite satisfied now. " I had 
 begun to suspect you, to fancy you would 
 never come near the mill again. I was
 
 54 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 just going up to Nelly," she laughed, 
 and the dimples came back to her cheeks 
 "to see if what Aunty declares were 
 true, if you really had grown proud. But 
 now I can laugh at her, can't I? You 
 would have come to-day, or to-morrow at 
 the very latest," she said, with loyal con- 
 fidence. 
 
 He was looking at her rather absently, 
 'as though lost in thought. " How tall 
 you have grown," he said, at length, 
 surveying the slender figure before him. 
 Lizzie had indeed shot up to a height 
 almost equal to his own ; and very 
 charming she appeared this afternoon in 
 her blue velvet jacket trimmed with far. 
 Suddenly she flushed scarlet beneath his 
 gaze, and asked quickly 
 
 "Are you going by the five o'clock 
 coach ? Then you must hurry, Army. I 
 am glad to have had a look at you in
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 55 
 
 your officer's uniform." She held out 
 her hand to him again, and he took it, 
 smiling pleasantly himself now. Memories 
 of his childhood were stealing over him. 
 
 " Touch last, Army," cried she, smote 
 him lightly on the shoulder, and ran off. 
 
 For one moment the young man stood 
 irresolute, half inclined, it almost seemed, 
 to hasten after her, and give her back her 
 " touch last." It had been their invari- 
 able custom in the old days to tease each 
 other in this manner, whenever she left 
 the castle, or he the mill ; they had so 
 enjoyed the sport ! But, bethinking 
 himself, he drew his overcoat together, 
 nodded a last good-bye, and strode away. 
 Not once did he glance back at the two 
 girls, who stood arm-in-arm looking after 
 him. He had no time to spare. 
 
 Beneath the old snow-laden lime the 
 Mends stood and watched. One pair of
 
 56 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 blue eyes grew moist with dew, and a 
 voice, from which all gaiety had suddenly 
 died out, whispered a low " farewell, 
 farewell." 
 
 At this Nelly wept too, and as her 
 brother's figure disappeared among the 
 houses of the village, she asked anxiously, 
 " Lizzie, you are not angry with Armand, 
 are you? " 
 
 But Lizzie made no reply. She only 
 shook her little head, and walked on 
 quite silently by her companion's side. 
 
 The rosy glow had faded from the sky ; 
 only a pale yellow flame lingered on the 
 horizon. The windows of the castle 
 looked forth drearily as ever on the 
 changeless scene without. Once more 
 the old monotony had set in, and both 
 young hearts were heavy, weighed down 
 by the pain of parting. When the girls 
 reached the park gate, they kissed each
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 57 
 
 other tenderly far more tenderly than 
 was their wont and Lizzie felt as if she 
 could hardly release her friend's little 
 hand, as again and again they whispered 
 their " good-night."
 
 58 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 THE rag-mill, as the paper-works had 
 from time immemorial been styled 
 throughout the district, was charmingly 
 situated among tall old trees on the 
 bank of a noisy little river. The hand- 
 some dwelling - house, with its gilt 
 weather-vane on the summit of the slate- 
 tiled roof, dated from the earlier half of 
 the last century, and it had preserved 
 the character of that period. The heavy 
 oaken hall-door, with its brightly bur- 
 nished brass knocker, was the original 
 hall-door; no modern plate-glass had as 
 yet replaced the small lozenge panes of
 
 .LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 59 
 
 the windows, and the inscription en- 
 graved on the grey old balcony set forth 
 that " This House was Built to the 
 Honour of God in the Year 1741 by 
 Johann Friedrich Erving and his Wife 
 Ernestine, born Eisenhardtin." Eeady 
 as ever were the old dragon-heads at the 
 four corners of the roof, to drink in and 
 sputter out the rain-water ; and the 
 sandstone seats on either side the house- 
 <loor, beneath the two great limes, still 
 formed the favourite resting-place of the 
 family in summer-time. The house was 
 encompassed on three sides by a great 
 garden abounding in fruit, wherein were 
 straight parallel walks, a shady bower 
 of jessamine, and a perfect forest of 
 gooseberry and raspberry bushes. This 
 garden was under the special care and 
 supervision of old Aunty. The whole 
 country round could produce no such
 
 60 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 excellent varieties of apples and pears as 
 were to be found at the mill, and the 
 asparagus in Aunt Marie's carefully- 
 tended beds was justly celebrated for its 
 fine flavour and extraordinary size. 
 
 Who indeed could have pictured to 
 himself the paper-mill without that old 
 woman ? What a genial air of comfort 
 there was about the place, and what a 
 home-like feeling came over the traveller 
 on crossing the wooden foot-bridge whicn 
 lay exactly opposite the dwelling-house ! 
 The old dame would bend forward behind 
 the snow-white curtains, and welcome 
 the arriving guest with a look of her 
 bright friendly eyes ; then she would push 
 aside her spinning-wheel, and rise to 
 meet the new-comer. So alert and brisk 
 were her movements that she was gener- 
 ally in time to receive the visitor at the 
 entrance-door, always standing hospitably
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 61 
 
 open, and there to give him kindly greet- 
 ing. " Ah, this is well ! God hless you ! 
 How pleased Minna" (the mistress of 
 the house) or, " how pleased Friedrich " 
 (the master) "will be!" So saying, 
 she would trip on first and open an inner 
 door, to admit the guest to the comfort- 
 able parlour ; and, taking a formidable 
 bunch of keys from her side, would 
 forthwith disappear in the direction of 
 the kitchen and garden. The old woman 
 had lived at the mill ever since she was 
 ten years old. She had early been left 
 an orphan, and the grandfather of the 
 present owner, pitying the forlorn state 
 of the sweet-tempered, lovable little 
 maiden, took her home, and brought her 
 up under his own roof- tree, where she 
 became the friend and playmate of his 
 two children. This benefit the orphan 
 repaid by unwavering fidelity and de-
 
 62 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 votion to her guardians. Stanch in their 
 days of trial, she shared alike in their 
 good and ill fortune. Long and long 
 ago she had grown to he a loved and 
 valued member of the family, to whose 
 happiness and comfort she was absolutely 
 indispensable. The Ervings had always 
 been noted for their kindness and benevo- 
 lence towards the poor. They had never 
 let their right hand know what their left 
 hand gave, and the Lord had remembered 
 it to them, as old Aunty had so often 
 said. They were the richest people of 
 all the country side. 
 
 At the mill had ever lived men of the 
 true old Teuton stamp, whose hand upon 
 it was worth a thousand oaths, and who 
 joined to bright, active intelligence a 
 strong, steady will and indefatigable 
 energy. "Work and pray" had always 
 been the family motto, impressed on the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. G 
 
 children by the parents. The mill was 
 celebrated for yet another thing, to wit,, 
 for the beauty of its daughters, which 
 was almost proverbial. " As bonnie as 
 if she came from the mill," was a current 
 phrase in the village when a compliment 
 to a pretty girl was intended ; and the 
 blue eyes of the miller's beautiful daugh- 
 ters had for generations past troubled 
 many a manly breast, and provoked many 
 a heartache. 
 
 Joyous doings the old mill had wit- 
 nessed, too merry revels, and the fair 
 blossoming of hopeful young lives ; and 
 the joy and the merriment had ever been 
 innocent, honest, of the true golden 
 ring. 
 
 There had always been a good neigh- 
 bourly understanding between the castle 
 and the mill. On either side were loyal 
 natures which could but esteem and
 
 64 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 honour each, other; and whenever the 
 reigning lord of the manor rode along the 
 banks of the babbling stream, and the 
 mill-owner in possession sat with his 
 wife under the limes before his house- 
 door, a friendly chat was sure to ensue. 
 In times of need, too, hands were joined, 
 and common cause was made. During 
 the years of war, from 1807 to 1813, no 
 blood relations could have held together 
 more firmly, or been truer one to the 
 other, than the proud Derenbergs and 
 the Ervings of the paper-mill. 
 
 When old Aunty first came to the 
 house, two children had been born to 
 the then proprietor a girl, who was 
 about her own age, and a boy some four 
 years older. The three grew up in close 
 intimacy. The mistress of the mill a 
 woman housewifely as she was pious 
 insisted indeed that the little orphan girl,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 65 
 
 who had been taken from a day-labourer's 
 cottage, should be kept to her own 
 station in life. She was to be well- 
 trained, it was said, and later on to act 
 as maid to the Mill household ; but Frau 
 Erving neither could, nor would, prevent 
 the children from playing together, and 
 a warm friendship sprang up between the 
 girls, which grew in strength with each 
 succeeding year. The boy, on the other 
 hand, was the sworn ally and comrade 
 of the two sons now growing up at the 
 Castle, and Baroness Derenberg loved the 
 fair, curly-headed youngster so well that 
 she persuaded his parents to let him 
 share her sons' instruction. So little 
 Fritz left the village school, exchanging 
 it for the study of the great baronial 
 house, and hard would it have been to 
 find a more apt or grateful scholar than 
 he approved himself. 
 
 VOL. I. 5
 
 66 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Years later, when the Derenberg youths 
 had reached man's estate, and long ago 
 had made the grand tour in foreign parts, 
 when the elder had entered into posses- 
 sion of the property bequeathed to him 
 by his father, and the younger had become 
 a dashing cavalry officer, they still came 
 gladly to the old house where lived their 
 friend. Little Lisette, meanwhile, had 
 shot up into a tall and stately maiden. 
 The proverbial beauty of the mill-owners' 
 daughters was hers in the highest degree, 
 and so winning was the look of her great 
 blue eyes, deep and blue as the lake in 
 the Derenberg forests, that obdurate 
 indeed would have been the heart that 
 could have withstood their charm. Marie 
 too had grown straight and tall as a 
 poplar a proper lass, as the mistress 
 said. She sang and danced through her 
 work in kitchen and cellar, and was so
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 67 
 
 merry and sweet-tempered withal, that 
 no one could have been otherwise than 
 kind to the blithesome, red-cheeked 
 maiden. True, she was now expected 
 to address her former playmate as 
 "Mamsell" hut in private the familiar 
 " Lisette " came readily hack to her lips ; 
 and many and many a summer evening 
 the two would sit with their arms round 
 each other's waist, closely nestling 
 together in the jessamine bower down 
 by the water, as they had so often sat 
 in the old childish days. 
 
 About this time it was that a heavy 
 blow fell on the Mill household ; a blow 
 so heavy that the elders, bending beneath 
 it, felt their strength fail them, and well- 
 nigh broke down beneath the weight of 
 trouble, and Marie, gay, light-hearted 
 Marie, was suddenly transformed into a 
 grave and silent maiden. Misfortune
 
 68 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 overtook the jewel of the family, beau- 
 tiful Lisette. Often, no doubt, had the 
 poor child heard from her mother, who 
 was versed in such words of wisdom, the 
 old saying : 
 
 " Like fortune, like birth, like years, 
 Make the best friends and the happiest pairs ; " 
 
 but how was she to think of this when 
 her young heart was suddenly invaded by 
 the strong passion which knows nought 
 of rank or class differences ? She loved 
 for the first time, devotedly, entirely, 
 with all the innocent trustfulness of a 
 child ; and the love which was given her 
 in return was not less earnest, less pure 
 in intent, than her own. But a strange 
 hand interfered roughly, and by a wicked 
 act crushed the budding blossom of their 
 happiness. It was a white and delicate 
 lady's hand, but it tore the two hearts 
 apart with such ruthless violence, that
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 69 
 
 one bled to death, from its wounds after 
 a short, sharp illness, Lisette closed her 
 wonderful blue eyes on this world for 
 ever. 
 
 From that hour all relations ceased 
 between the Castle and the Mill. When 
 poor grief-stricken Marie caught sight of 
 the young lord, riding gaily through the 
 forest glades by the side of his beautiful 
 wife, the girl would sigh and say to her- 
 self, " She comes from fickle, light- 
 minded Italy. How can she tell the 
 feelings of a German heart, when it loves 
 any one so dearly, so dearly ? But a day 
 of retribution will come ! " 
 
 All this had happened years and years 
 ago, and the men and women who had 
 then lived at the Mill were all long since 
 dead with one exception. Marie, the 
 orphan, had grown old beneath the 
 Ervings' roof. She still lived with them,
 
 70 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 beloved and respected as though she 
 had been one of their race. 
 
 Friedrich Erving, the present owner- 
 nephew to the beautiful Lisette had 
 found in her a second mother. His own 
 parents dying young, she had taken 
 him to her true heart, and reared him 
 tenderly. Under her care he had grown 
 up strong, healthy, and happy ; and when 
 in the process of time he in his turn 
 brought home a wife, she met the bridal 
 pair on the threshold of the old home 
 and gave them a hearty welcome. The 
 young husband, greeting her affection- 
 ately, put his newly- won treasure into 
 her arms. "There, Aunty," for so he 
 always called her "you must love her 
 a little too now, and be a mother to us 
 both." 
 
 And so it had been. One day old 
 Aunty stood in the ancient village church,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 71 
 
 holding at the baptismal font a little 
 daughter born to the young couple. 
 Looking down, she saw a pair of great 
 blue eyes wide open and gazing up at 
 her. Tears of joy fell on the child's 
 white robes, and an earnest thanksgiving 
 for ah 1 the happiness now accorded to 
 her, winged its way to Heaven. The 
 little one received the name of Lizzie. 
 
 About this time occurred that catas- 
 trophe which filled the Castle with 
 mourning, and powerfully affected all the 
 dwellers at the quiet Mill. News was 
 brought of Baron Derenberg's sudden 
 death. Aunt Marie sat silent at her 
 wheel, and thought reverently how God's 
 mill always grinds with even justice. 
 
 One day, not long after this, her darling 
 four-year-old Lizzie came tripping over 
 the bridge hand in hand with another 
 fair, curly-headed mite of about her own
 
 72 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 size. In their rear appeared a beautiful 
 boy, with raven hair and dark defiant 
 eyes, who, at sight of her, took to playing 
 shyly with his little wooden whip. She 
 rose to meet them, lifted the baby-girl 
 in her arms, and asked if she did not live 
 up at the Castle. The little one nodded 
 " Yes," upon which she carried the child 
 into the parlour to the young mistress of 
 the Mill. Then, taking the boy by one 
 hand and her own Lizzie by the. other, 
 she led them in too ; and both women, 
 the young and the old, kissed and fondled 
 the small fatherless children, until at 
 length the baby-girl put her little arms 
 about the old woman's neck, and nestled 
 to her, and the boy advanced with bright, 
 flashing eyes to take the apple she held 
 out to him. 
 
 As the young visitors trotted home- 
 wards again over the bridge, the brother
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 73 
 
 carefully guiding his sister's steps, both 
 the little heads were turned again and 
 again to nod back their good-bye. 
 
 Great tears welled into the young 
 mother's eyes, and she pressed her child 
 to her heart, saying, "We must thank 
 our good God to-night that my little one 
 has her father left, such a kind, dear 
 father ! See, those poor children yonder 
 have lost theirs. Ah, they are to be 
 pitied for so many, many things ! " 
 
 The friendship between young Lizzie 
 and the Derenberg children dated from 
 that day. 
 
 Life had gone on smoothly at the Mill. 
 Lizzie bloomed more brightly day by day. 
 She was a good steady little maiden, 
 assiduous at her books, and apt at learn- 
 ing. The pastor, who was her father's 
 friend and her godfather, took charge of 
 her general education, and the pastor's
 
 74 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 wife spoke French, with her, and gave 
 her singing-lessons. When the little 
 lassie sang the popular ballads of the 
 country in her clear flexible young treble, 
 old Aunty's eyes would grow moist with 
 tears. "Just Lisette over again!" she 
 would say to herself under her breath. 
 
 That Armand should abstain from com- 
 ing to the Mill, now that he had become 
 a fine, full-fledged officer, hardly sur- 
 prised the old woman. "It is his grand- 
 mother's blood in him," she said. But 
 Lizzie would not believe that Army 
 could have grown proud Army, the old 
 comrade and play-fellow, with whom, not 
 so very long ago, she had laughed and 
 chattered unrestrainedly. She would go 
 and ask himself, thought Lizzie; so she 
 set off towards the Castle, and, as has 
 been seen, met the brother and sister 
 under the great lime-tree by the way-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 75 
 
 side. Army was in the very act of 
 departing, but then it was all so easily 
 explained. He had been forced to start 
 on his journey quite suddenly, otherwise 
 he certainly would have come. When 
 she got back to the snug warm room at 
 home, she went straight up to the old 
 woman who was spinning busily, and 
 said in a tone of triumph 
 
 " Well, Aunty, it is not true, not true 
 a bit, that Army has grown proud. He 
 could not come because he had to go 
 away again in a hurry. I knew it was so 
 very well." 
 
 " Oh, is that it ? " said the old woman. 
 
 "Yes. You wicked old Aunty, you 
 really gave me quite a fright," she pouted. 
 
 " Well, well, the egg will be wiser than 
 the hen ! So Nelly said he meant to 
 come ? " 
 
 " Yes ; and Nelly would not tell a lie.""
 
 76 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Nelly is a good child. I am always 
 pleased when she comes ; she has the 
 true Derenberg face, and the Derenberg 
 nature. They were all honest and true 
 as steel, were the Derenbergs, until that 
 ..." she paused. 
 
 " What do you mean, Aunty ? " 
 " When the devil wants to work people 
 harm, he puts on a face like an angel's." 
 " What are you talking about ? " 
 " Nothing, that is, nothing which con- 
 cerns you. I am talking to myself; but 
 you may depend on it, Lily, it is as the 
 pastor said last Sunday in the pulpit : 
 * Our God is a just God.' That is a true 
 word. Now don't stare at me with those 
 great wondering eyes. You have got 
 something better to do. Go and look in 
 the oven on the second shelf. There are 
 some fine roasted apples in there waiting 
 for you."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 77 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Two years and more had passed over 
 the land. It was a May evening now. 
 Through the open lattice of Aunt Marie's 
 little room came a delicious air laden 
 with sweet scents. A soft breeze played 
 among the young leaves and tendrils of 
 the vine which framed the casement, 
 and the moon cast its silvery gleam over 
 the clean white boards and simple furni- 
 ture of the little chamber. Its light fell 
 full on the wrinkled face of the old 
 woman who sat at the window, her busy 
 hands for once lying idly in her lap, look- 
 ing out into the garden where the apple
 
 78 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 and elder trees were just in their finest 
 bloom. Old Aunty was keeping blind 
 man's holiday. No lamp was to be 
 lighted now in these long evenings such 
 was the good old custom in her part of 
 the country. It is so pleasant to sit 
 down and rest; not only the hands, but 
 the mind. Resting, indeed, the old 
 woman's thoughts were not. They had 
 travelled back into the past to bright, 
 far-distant days. It was a joy and 
 refreshment to her, after the heat and 
 burden of the day, to sit alone in this 
 twilight hour and recall the loved 
 memories of those times. The house 
 was in perfect order ; everything had 
 been cared for and arranged. On this 
 balmy spring evening the present faded 
 from Aunt Marie's sight, and the season 
 of her youth came back to her, fair and 
 fragrant as the moon-lit world without.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 79 
 
 Old Aunty folded her hands, and turned 
 her head from the window back into the 
 room. Her eyes sought a little portrait 
 which hung over the chest of drawers ; 
 there, in the bright moonlight, the 
 silhouette of a man's head could clearly 
 be distinguished. 
 
 "Yes, yes, my poor Christian," she 
 
 said softly. "We were fond of each 
 
 other, right fond, though you were with 
 
 me but a short time. I have never 
 
 forgotten you, and I have remained true 
 
 to you to this day. To think that such 
 
 a fate should betide you ! Sad, sad ! 
 
 Heavenly Father, what trouble one may 
 
 live through in one's little span ! Just 
 
 a smooth year or so, and then sorrow and 
 
 care by the bushel! Lord, Lord, what 
 
 a pair of merry girls we were, Lisette 
 
 and I ! and just when we thought things 
 
 were looking their bravest, the weeping
 
 80 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 was at hand. Ah, well-a-day my Lisette 
 and my poor old Christian ! ' ' She shook 
 her head sorrowfully, for before her there 
 arose the vision of two verdant, grass- 
 grown mounds lying out yonder in the 
 shade of the churchyard limes. 
 
 Suddenly a branch of elder bloom came 
 flying into the room, and fell just into 
 her lap. A gleeful laugh was heard out- 
 side. 
 
 "Now, now, there's my Lily," said 
 Aunt Marie, and a roguish smile beamed 
 on the old face, chasing the sad look 
 from it. She sat quite still, hiding back 
 in her armchair. 
 
 Next minute a girlish head, with a 
 crown of dark plaits, appeared at the 
 window, and peered curiously in. 
 
 " She is not there," said the new- 
 comer, in a disappointed tone, and then 
 uttered a shrill little cry, for old Aunty
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 81 
 
 jumped forward in her chair, and brushed 
 the girl's startled face gently with the 
 elder-branch. 
 
 " Oh, Aunty, how wicked! What a 
 shame to frighten me so ! " 
 
 "Hey, what? Who was frightened 
 first, pray?" returned the old woman, 
 briskly. " Why, you mischievous little 
 monkey, you play tricks and then pre- 
 tend to be injured, do you ? " 
 
 The girl made no reply to this, but 
 asked 
 
 "Have father and mother come back 
 yet from town? " 
 
 "Not yet. It will be eleven, I dare 
 say, before they get home. Go to bed, 
 and sleep quietly. I will sit up for 
 them." 
 
 "Go to bed? Aunty, what can you 
 be thinking of? On such a wonderful 
 evening as this ? Come out a little, and 
 
 VOL. I. 6
 
 82 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 smell how delicious the air is, now all 
 the elder-trees are in bloom. You can't 
 think how splendid it is out in the 
 garden to-night ! " 
 
 " Ah, child, that won't do for me now ; 
 old people must not ape the young. It 
 is damp out in the open air, and there's 
 my tiresome rheumatism to think of. 
 But you stay outside and enjoy the 
 beautiful evening." 
 
 "No, I shall come in to you then, 
 Aunty. May I? I can't stay all alone 
 this evening, I can't really." 
 
 "Well, come in then, you foolish little 
 thing." 
 
 The head disappeared from the window, 
 and shortly afterwards the door opened, 
 and a tall and slender maiden, clad in 
 a light summer dress, entered the room. 
 
 "Here I am, Aunty," she cried gaily, 
 sitting down on a little stool at the old
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 83 
 
 woman's feet. The moonbeams fell on 
 a delicate oval face, and revealed a pair 
 of marvellous deep-blue eyes, which were 
 turned entreatingly upwards. 
 
 " Aunty," she said, softly, " tell me 
 something this evening; do please." 
 
 " What ! am I to tell stories to a 
 great girl like you ? " 
 
 "No, no, not a story. Something 
 about your own young days, Aunty." 
 
 " About rny young days ? What about 
 them?" 
 
 " Oh, Aunty, tell me how you felt when 
 you had seen your sweetheart for the 
 first time." 
 
 " Why, you . . . you curious thing ! you 
 are too young to know everything yet. 
 Why should I begin to talk about that ? " 
 
 " But I am seventeen, Aunty. Other 
 girls are engaged to be married long 
 before they are as old as I am, and ..."
 
 84 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 " Now, now, think of this ! You will 
 be wanting a sweetheart of your own 
 soon, I suppose. Ah, ah ! when I tell 
 your mother what you have heen say- 
 ing . . ." 
 
 "You may tell her, Aunty," cried the 
 girl, laughing. "Mother herself showed 
 me, oh, ever so much linen a little while 
 ago, and said, ' That is all for your outfit 
 when you are married, Lily ! ' 
 
 " Well, that is true, I must own. But 
 what was it you wanted to know ? " 
 
 "I want you to tell me how it was 
 you met your poor Christian for the first 
 time." 
 
 The old woman paused, taken ahack, 
 as it seemed, hy this sudden request, 
 and the young girl sat looking up at her 
 with great, dewy, glistening eyes. All 
 was very still around. No sound reached 
 them save the low, melodious ripple and
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 85 
 
 plash of the water as it flowed over the 
 weir. 
 
 " Three lilies, three lilies, planted on my grave ! 
 There came a horseman bold and brave, 
 And he down from his saddle and pluckt them ; " 
 
 sang a fresh young voice in the garden 
 below. Aunt Marie raised her head to 
 listen. 
 
 "Why, that is Dora! How she can 
 sing after the scolding she had to-day! 
 But there, love and song will out. 
 Hearts in May will have their say, and 
 a piping bird will make itself heard." 
 
 "Ah, horseman, ah, horseman, let the lilies blow, 
 That my true love may see them once more, and 
 
 know 
 The grave where his love lies resting." 
 
 "Ay, ay, I have often sung the lilt 
 myself in the days when I was young," 
 said old Aunty, nodding her head. 
 " Often have I sat down below in the 
 jessamine bower with Lisette, and sung
 
 86 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 from very blitheness of heart. She had 
 such a rare sweet voice. But " she 
 hroke off suddenly " you wanted to 
 know where I saw 1dm for the first time. 
 Well, listen. One evening it was as 
 fine an evening as this, but somewhat 
 later in the year, in July about I was 
 going down the road which leads by the 
 side of the park, singing 
 
 ' Nor emperor, nor king is lie, 
 But a brave soldier of low degree.' 
 
 when suddenly some one stepped out 
 of the shady avenue, and said, ' Why, 
 lassie, must he be a soldier ? Will nothing 
 else do ? ' I was so startled and frightened, 
 I made no answer ; but set off walking 
 very fast. But he came after me, begging 
 me, with many fair words, to forgive 
 him. When I looked at him closer, 
 and saw his dear good face and honest 
 eyes, my fear left me, so we went on
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 87 
 
 together slowly. He told me that he was 
 a groom up at the Castle, in the service 
 of the young Baroness she who is 
 dowager now, you know, but who had 
 then just come home as a bride and 
 that he had often looked out for me 
 when he rode past the Mill, for you 
 know I was maid here in the time of 
 your great-grandmother. And I told 
 him about myself how I had neither 
 father nor mother left, and when we 
 got to the bridge yonder, we stopped 
 and shook hands, and he said to me, 
 ' Good-night, Marie, my dear.' Then 
 we said no more, but stood a while 
 quite still and silent, until at last I ran 
 away over the bridge as fast as I could." 
 " How did you feel then, Aunty ? " 
 "Ah, I can hardly tell that myself 
 now, Lily," said the old woman. " But 
 I mind that the moon shining over the
 
 88 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 old mill had never looked to me so grand 
 and golden, and that the sky seemed 
 lifted somehow. I could not sleep all 
 that night, and yet I was not a bit 
 tired next day, and those words, ' Good- 
 night, Marie, my dear,' sounded in my 
 ears wherever I went." 
 
 The old woman looked down at her 
 darling, and saw that great tears were 
 glittering in the sweet hlue eyes. "But 
 tell me, my Lily, what it is that ails 
 
 you." 
 
 " Oh, nothing ails me, Aunty," answered 
 the girl. " Do you know, I think I will 
 go outside a little, before the door. 
 Father and mother must be here soon 
 now. Good-night, Aunty ! " 
 
 " Good-night, Lily ! God bless you ! 
 But, child, if you go out early to-morrow 
 morning to pick the asparagus, don't 
 leave half of it standing, or I shall have
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 89 
 
 to see to it myself in future, ill as tlie 
 work suits my old bones. Good-night." 
 
 And now the old woman was alone 
 again in her little chamber. She closed 
 the window, and, with a sorrowful shake 
 of the head, went up to the chest of 
 drawers. There she stood, gazing at her 
 Christian's likeness. 1'he moonbeams 
 fell more obliquely now, and she could 
 not see the little picture rightly; but 
 eveiy line of it was so familiar to her 
 she knew so exactly how it looked ! 
 
 " Yes, so it was," she whispered ; " out 
 there by the bridge. There it all began. 
 Love's memory is good. I remember it 
 all as distinctly as if it were but yester- 
 day evening we two were standing there. 
 This is Lily's doing. I wonder what 
 she really meant, the foolish young 
 thing!" 
 
 Lizzie had sat down outside beneath
 
 90 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 the lime-tree ; before lier the mill-stream 
 ran brawling on its course. Her eyes 
 were fixed on the road which led, on the 
 other side of the water, up to the Castle. 
 Yonder, on the hill, behind the dark 
 tree-tops, rose the proud towers of Deren- 
 berg, gleaming in the moonlight, as she 
 had seen them times without number. 
 How was it that she felt so strange 
 and disturbed on this particular night ? 
 An unexpected meeting, which had 
 occurred in the course of the day, had 
 brought this about. She and Nelly 
 had been sitting together in an arbour, 
 reading to each other aloud, when, lo 
 and behold ! Armand had suddenly stepped 
 in upon them. His coming took them 
 quite by surprise. After warmly em- 
 bracing his sister, who had flushed scarlet 
 with joy and could not articulate a word, 
 he glanced over at her with evident
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 91 
 
 astonishment in his face, and at length 
 addressed her as " Miss Lizzie." " Miss 
 Lizzie ! " how funny it sounded ! She 
 could not help laughing, and he laughed, 
 too ; but he persisted in so styling her. 
 He had grown taller and more manly 
 since that winter evening when she had 
 said good-bye to him under the old snow- 
 laden lime, and now a saucy little 
 moustache graced his upper lip. How 
 handsome he was ! And the evening 
 of Nelly's birthday for such it was 
 had gone by so swiftly. They had re- 
 vived all the old childish recollections, 
 and he had been so bright and merry. 
 His mother's face had shone, transfigured, 
 as it were, with happiness. Then, when 
 it was time for her to go home, he had 
 insisted on bearing her company. They 
 had come down the great avenue to- 
 gether, and taken the road to the
 
 92 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 bridge, just as Aunty had done once 
 upon a time with her Christian. They 
 had talked of their childhood by the 
 way. At the bridge he had stopped, 
 saying, " Good-night, Miss Lizzie." Again 
 she had broken into a little laugh. " Good- 
 night, Mr. Army," she would like to 
 have said ; but the words would not out 
 from her lips. Bather uncertainly she 
 held out her small hand to him. He 
 took it, as any old acquaintance might, 
 then he turned and went ; and she bent 
 over the railings, and looked down on 
 the glittering water, where the moon- 
 beams played in trembling silver stripes, 
 and listened to the nightingales in the 
 old limes all as in a dream. 
 
 " Will he come to the Mill this time, 
 I wonder ? " she asked herself, gazing 
 over at the Castle towers. "Ah yes, 
 surely! I do hope mother will not
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 93 
 
 choose to-morrow for that visit to the 
 Inspector's wife she has talked about 
 so long," thought she. " No, that would 
 be too bad, for I should have to go 
 too ; I know I should." 
 
 So she sat musing under the old 
 lime-tree that fair spring night, and the 
 moon smiled gently down on her, careful, 
 as it seemed, not to disturb those blissful 
 young dreams. Old Dian knows they 
 are frail and light as gossamer, and that 
 it takes but a breath to destroy them. 
 
 Up at the Castle the yellow light of 
 a lamp shone from the old Baroness's 
 windows until far into the night. That 
 lady, clad in her usual sombre robe, sat 
 leaning back in her armchair, toying 
 with the white handkerchief in her lap. 
 
 "And you say, Army," she began, 
 keenly scrutinising the young officer 
 seated opposite her; "you say Aunt
 
 94 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Stontheim herself expressed a wish that 
 Blanche should pay us a visit here ? " 
 
 "Why, not exactly, Granny. That 
 would be affirming too much," replied 
 the young man. "Aunt Stontheim is 
 a peculiar person. She never openly 
 expresses a wish, in so many words ; but 
 she mentioned one day that Blanche's 
 health had been somewhat tried by all 
 the fatigue and excitement of the winter, 
 and asked me if the air up here among 
 our forests were bracing. Upon which, 
 understanding the hint, I naturally made 
 offer of our hospitality." 
 
 " That was over-precipitate of you, 
 my dear Army. I must confess that 
 to provide amusement for a young lady 
 of fashion in this dreary, desolate place 
 seems to me a formidable task. It shows 
 a great want of tact on my Lady Ston- 
 theim's part to accept your offer, es-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 95 
 
 pecially for this Blanche. She will be 
 able to go and relate to her father how 
 Castle Derenberg entertains its guests." 
 The old lady laughed a bitter laugh. 
 
 Armand remained silent. He was 
 intently watching a butterfly, which was 
 fluttering round the globe of the lamp. 
 
 " What is she like in appearance, this 
 girl Blanche?" asked the grandmother 
 after a pause. 
 
 A sunshiny light overspread Army's 
 face. 
 
 " How shall I describe her appearance 
 to you, Granny? All I can say is, 
 Blanche is a wonderful creature, unlike 
 any one else. She dazzles you when 
 you first see her, and each time you 
 behold her you discover something fresh 
 in her which fascinates you more and 
 more." 
 
 " That is a lover's mode of expression,"
 
 96 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 remarked the old lady, coolly. " She 
 never gave any promise of beauty, to 
 my knowledge." 
 
 Armand flushed crimson beneath the 
 cool survey of those great dark eyes. 
 
 "She is not beautiful exactly; but 
 there is something about her . . ." 
 
 "Never mind that," interrupted the 
 Baroness, impatiently. " Tell me what 
 people think of her position with regard 
 to her aunt ; if she has anything to hope 
 in that quarter." 
 
 " She passes for her aunt's sole heiress. 
 During the fortnight I spent there at 
 Christmas time I did not remark any 
 special warmth of affection between the 
 two." 
 
 The Baroness shrugged her shoulders 
 contemptuously. 
 
 "Have you told your mother the 
 pleasing news of this intended visit ? ' '
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 97 
 
 "No, neither my mother nor Nelly. 
 They were not alone. The little girl 
 from the Mill was with Nelly." 
 
 " Of course. Beally, it is incredible ! 
 I myself have, once for all, declined to 
 have anything to do with her, but, un- 
 fortunately, she is first and last with your 
 mother and sister, who look on her as 
 a paragon of beauty and goodness. But, 
 Army, where in the world are we to lodge 
 this Blanche when she comes, and where 
 am I to find the necessary attendance for 
 her?" 
 
 "I thought of the rooms next yours, 
 Granny, and the turret-chamber might 
 be converted into a little sitting-room. 
 The attendance Blanche will bring 
 with her in the person of her own 
 maid." 
 
 " The turret-chamber ! That she shall 
 never have," cried the old lady, starting 
 
 VOL. i. 7
 
 98 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 up. Her face, always pale, looked at this 
 moment almost spectral in its extreme 
 whiteness. 
 
 Armand stared at her, half alarmed at 
 her sudden vehemence. " As you like, 
 Granny." 
 
 " Settle that with your mother," she 
 added, hastily. " Blanche may lodge 
 where else she likes, hut the turret- 
 chamber will remain closed as long as 
 I live. Go to bed now. We will talk 
 more of this to-morrow." 
 
 Armand bent over her hand, and then 
 left the room. Outside in the echoing 
 corridor the bright moonlight shone, 
 streaming through the many small panes 
 of the lofty windows on to the white 
 stone floor at his feet. 
 
 " Always the same old tune," he mut- 
 tered. "What does all this mean about 
 the turret-chamber, I wonder ? And I
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. UU 
 
 had pictured to myself how charming it 
 might be made for Blanche." 
 
 "For Blanche!" He stood stiU a 
 moment. His thoughts flew back to the 
 great city, to an elegant villa with great 
 plate-glass windows and a verandah filled 
 with flowers. There on the second floor, 
 behind those delicate lace curtains, she 
 was, probably, at this moment, lying 
 asleep. He went into his own room. 
 The windows were open, and as he 
 entered a swift current of air rushed 
 in, laden with the scent of many blos- 
 soms. He stood looking out on to the 
 moon-lit park, and as he so stood, the 
 remembrance came to him of a certain 
 winter evening when he had lingered in 
 this same room. He had known nothing 
 of life then, but he remembered how, 
 thinking of the future, his mind had been 
 beset by vague apprehensions, and how
 
 100 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 the old legend on the fire-place yonder 
 had strangely inspired him with hope 
 and courage 
 
 " Make God thy stay ; 
 Lnck cometh any day." 
 
 Had luck come to him ? Alas ! no ; not 
 any great luck as yet ; still, some rays 
 of Fortune's sun had shone upon him, 
 surely. In imagination, he saw himself 
 sitting opposite his aunt Stontheim in 
 her elegant drawing-room. 
 
 The old lady had sent him an invita- 
 tion to spend last Christmas at D 
 
 with her. He had gone reluctantly, and 
 when he kissed the hand his aunt held 
 out to him in token of welcome, his face 
 had worn hy no means an amiable ex- 
 pression. Tea had been served, and as 
 the young man sat drinking it, the 
 thought of the tedious hours before him 
 weighed on his spirits like a nightmare.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 101 
 
 Suddenly the portieres were thrown back, 
 and, wafted, as it were, into the room, 
 there appeared a fair and youthful vision. 
 The chandelier suspended from the ceil- 
 ing threw its dazzling light on a fairy- 
 like figure robed in gauzy pale green 
 crape, which floated about her in undu- 
 lating transparent waves. From these 
 waves emerged a pair of delicate ivory 
 shoulders. A golden fringe glistened on 
 the low white forehead, and down the 
 fairy's back, in unrestrained abundance, 
 flowed a wealth of luxuriant golden-red 
 hair. 
 
 He had sprung up, and stood gazing 
 with wide, dilated eyes, as though he had 
 seen a ghost. The young lady threw her 
 splendid bouquet of white camellias on to 
 a table, passed him quickly, and went up 
 to greet her aunt. 
 
 " Agneta ! " said a voice within him.
 
 102 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " The beautiful Agneta Maud from the 
 portrait-gallery at home." 
 
 " Is it so late ? " inquired her aunt, 
 surveying with a critical eye the charm- 
 ing apparition before her. Then, turning 
 to her visitor, she added, " My dear 
 Blanche, this is your cousin, Armand 
 von Derenberg, who has come to spend 
 Christmas with us." 
 
 The young lady cast a rapid glance at 
 him from a pair of dark eyes. He was 
 still intently gazing at her he could 
 not help it. Surely she stood there in 
 person, the beautiful Agneta Maud, as 
 though she had just stepped out of her 
 great gilt frame. 
 
 Yes, he had been very awkward. The 
 hot blood rushed to his temples as he 
 thought of it. The introduction over, he 
 had, by his aunt's desire, performed a 
 hasty toilet, had taken his place opposite
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 103 
 
 the two ladies in the comfortable, well- 
 appointed carriage, and with them had 
 entered what seemed to him enchanted 
 halls of light. There, with Blanche in 
 his arms, he had glided over the smooth, 
 mirror-like floors; he had talked to her, 
 had told her how, in the gallery at home, 
 there hung a portrait which might have 
 been hers, and before which as a boy he 
 had stood for hours in never- wearying, 
 never-sated contemplation. 
 
 At this she had smiled, and declared 
 she would like one day to put it to the 
 test, to go and stand beside the portrait, 
 just to see whether the likeness did not 
 exist principally in his imagination. 
 True, she had not the eyes the deep, 
 sorrowful eyes. Hers were dark also, 
 but the unfathomable melancholy of the 
 Lady Agneta's was not to be read in 
 them. How could it be? What could
 
 104 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 she know of sorrow or sadness ? She so 
 young, so bright, so much admired. He 
 followed her with his earnest gaze, as 
 she floated by him in the dance. Her 
 streaming hair formed an aureole round 
 her pale face, and fell like a shining 
 golden veil about her shoulders. He 
 never wearied of admiring it. He envied 
 every other man who danced with her, 
 and looked forward with satisfaction to 
 the Christmas Eve he had expressly come 
 to celebrate. That evening would cer- 
 tainly be spent quietly at home. But 
 precisely on that occasion had she 
 pleased him least. Not that she looked 
 less charming than usual by no means. 
 The golden veil gleamed wonderfully, 
 falling over a dress of dark blue silk. 
 Woven through and through it were 
 countless glittering sparks, fired by the 
 candles of the Christmas tree, but the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 105 
 
 beaming smile was wanting which lends 
 true witchery to a face. No trace of true 
 innocent Christmas mirth could he detect 
 in Blanche's black eyes. 
 
 Then fete had followed upon fete, until 
 at length he had been obliged to leave, 
 hard as it was for him to say good-bye. 
 He begged his aunt for permission to 
 return speedily, and pressed into the 
 breast-pocket of his tunic a little Eussia- 
 leather case, a keepsake from his cousin 
 more precious in his sight than the 
 fairest jewel, for it contained a soft, long 
 tress of woman's hair. She had given 
 it to him in jest, at his earnest entreaty 
 in order, as she said, that he might 
 compare the shades, and see which was 
 most golden in its hue, that in the 
 picture, or hers. 
 
 Armand was still standing by the open 
 window in his dark room. He drew the
 
 106 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 little case hastily forth, and, holding it 
 in the moonlight, gazed at the long fair 
 lock which was attached by a blue ribbon 
 at either end. He pressed it to his lips, 
 and a series of sweet, delicious fancies 
 trooped through his mind. He saw him- 
 self here in the home of his fathers, she 
 standing by his side. His arm was about 
 her waist, and her bright head nestled 
 on his breast. Outside in the desolate 
 park, a sparkling shaft of crystal water 
 shot aloft from the moss-grown granite 
 basin, breaking the sad silence of years, 
 announcing a new era of prosperity and 
 happiness. 
 
 How fair was the dream ! But then 
 it was but a dream, and how great a 
 contrast the reality ! Armand shuddered. 
 The dreary miserable reality brought 
 claims upon him which almost alarmed 
 him. Where should he find means for
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 107 
 
 the preparations lie wished to make ? 
 If only by a little show and glitter, he 
 could disguise from his beautiful guest 
 the sad poverty reigning at Castle 
 Derenberg ! Oh, this money, this pitiful, 
 wretched money ! 
 
 Musing thus, he stood looking out into 
 the park below. A night breeze had 
 arisen, and stirred whispering among the 
 trees. "It is time to sleep," thought 
 the young enthusiast; and quitting his 
 post with quiet tread, he sought his 
 couch. In his dreams the beautiful 
 Agneta Maud appeared to him, standing 
 before him in her dress of silver brocade, 
 over which floated a sort of golden veil. 
 She looked at him with her great mourn- 
 ful eyes, and raised her hand warningly. 
 
 " Beware ! Look to the haire ! 
 If redde, be sure 'twill prove a snare," 
 
 sounded in his ears mysteriously.
 
 108 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 "ARMY, how glad I am to think we 
 are going to have a visitor for once," 
 said Nelly to her brother next morning. 
 "What will Lizzie say? I must let her 
 hear the news. Do tell me, Army," 
 she pleaded coaxingly, clinging fast to 
 his arm ; " what do you think of Lizzie ? 
 Has not she grown lovely? " 
 
 " Keally, I don't know," he replied 
 ahsently. " I have not thought about it. 
 Yes, I suppose she has, but I hardly 
 remember ..." 
 
 "Why, Army, what ails you?" ex-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 109 
 
 claimed his sister. "You are preoccu- 
 pied, or out of spirits. Has anything 
 unpleasant happened ? Can I help you ? " 
 
 "No, little sis," he laughed, and play- 
 fully stroked her blooming face; "you 
 are the last person in the world who 
 can help me. It is a bad business. I 
 am half afraid to tell my mother, but 
 tell her I must . . ." 
 
 " Oh, don't say anything to mamma," 
 entreated the young girl, stopping, and 
 laying her little hand on her brother's 
 shoulder, while she looked anxiously up 
 in his face. " Pray, pray don't. She is 
 so weak and ill, and she is always crying. 
 Don't tell her, if it is anything dis- 
 agreeable." 
 
 Some slight embarrassment was visible 
 in Armand's face. 
 
 "But, good heavens, what am I to 
 do ? I can't go to Granny. It would
 
 110 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 be useless if I did, for she is not in a 
 position to ... to ..." 
 
 "Army," whispered the girl, guessing 
 the cause of his trouble and, as she 
 spoke, she came close up to him, "I 
 think I can help you. Wait one moment ; 
 or no, go on till you come to the great 
 maple by the pond. I will be there 
 in a minute. And she sped away from 
 him, back along the shady walk, the 
 sunbeams glancing over her simple light 
 frock and fair head. At the first turn 
 of the alley she disappeared. 
 
 The young man stood a while, looking 
 after her, then he walked on. What 
 did she mean, he wondered. She could 
 not possibly know. He sat down on a 
 stone seat, and looked over at the clear 
 water, where the blue sky and tall trees 
 were all faithfully mirrored. "How 
 delightful it is here ! " he said to him-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. Ill 
 
 self. " If she has the least perception 
 of the beauty of Nature, it must please 
 her." 
 
 A light step sounded behind him. 
 Turning, he looked into his sister's face, 
 all flushed and beaming with pleasure. 
 
 "There, Army," she said, blushing a 
 deeper carnation, and putting a pretty 
 little silk purse into his hand. "I don't 
 want it, really I don't. What should 
 I want it for? And you won't say 
 anything to mamma, will you?" Joy 
 sparkled in the girl's blue eyes joy at 
 having something to give. " Dear old 
 Army, put it away at once," she begged. 
 " I am sure it will be enough." 
 
 " No, Nelly, no," he cried, crimson 
 now, in his turn, " I won't take your 
 savings, my dear . . ." 
 
 She laid her hand on his mouth. 
 " You will make me angry, Army. If
 
 112 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 brother and sister may not help each 
 other, who may? Who knows, I may 
 come to you some day. Now let us 
 go on, and say no more about it. See, 
 what do you think? Suppose we had 
 a boat here ? I have wished for one 
 ever so long. Then we could row out 
 on the lake with Blanche . . . and 
 Lizzie. Blanche won't be proud, dear, 
 will she ? " 
 
 He made no reply. At this moment 
 he seemed to himself a pitiful fellow. 
 He turned his face away hastily. 
 
 His sister noticed this. " Army," said 
 she, " come in soon. I must go back 
 now to mamma to ... to ..." She 
 could not think of any pressing business 
 with her mamma " and I am in a great 
 hurry," she woiind up abruptly, and 
 started off, taking the nearest way back 
 to the Castle.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 113 
 
 He followed her slowly, oppressed by 
 a feeling of shame lie had never known 
 before. Yesterday he had not even 
 brought her a trifle for her birthday,, 
 and now she joyfully gave him all her 
 little treasure. He stopped and opened 
 the small silk purse. There were a 
 few thalers in it loose, and something 
 wrapped in white paper. He unfolded 
 the little packet, and found a gold piece ; 
 on the paper were a few words written 
 in his mother's hand. " To buy a new 
 dress for my Nelly," he read. The girl 
 had evidently not noticed the words, or 
 she would have spared him this humili- 
 ation. He thought of the washed-out 
 cotton frock she had worn yesterday, 
 and again that morning. How delighted 
 she must have been at the idea of having 
 a new dress ! A new dress for five 
 thalers ! That was precisely the sum 
 
 VOL. I. 8
 
 114 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 he had given lately for a bouquet to 
 send to Blanche, a bouquet which she, 
 no doubt, had carelessly thrown aside 
 on the morning after the ball. He 
 thought of the graceful figure he had 
 invariably seen draped in costly silks, 
 or wreathed in clouds of airy tarletane. 
 What contrasts there are in Life ! There, 
 before him, stood the Castle, the grand 
 old mansion with its imposing facade 
 and proud towers, and he, the son of 
 so noble a house, had not even where- 
 withal to ... Ah, the thought of it 
 nearly drove him mad ! 
 
 He turned hastily and retraced his 
 steps. His eyes involuntarily wandered 
 over the wooded background, and rested 
 on the sloping slate- tiled roof of the 
 paper-mill. Suddenly he laughed out 
 loud. " Yes, they have grown wealthy," 
 he said to himself. " One must take to
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 115 
 
 rags, or something of the sort, nowadays ; 
 then the money will flow in in abundance. 
 All that fortune will go to the little girl 
 I used to play with Lizzie of the Mill 
 is the richest heiress of these parts ! 
 Eeally, it is too frightfully ludicrous to 
 see how things are ordered in this 
 world." But there was no sign of real 
 mirth in his dark eyes ; he looked 
 terribly depressed and down-hearted, this 
 handsome young officer. His sister's 
 money seemed to scorch his hands, as 
 he walked on rapidly with lowered head 
 and lips scornfully set. All his bright 
 dreams of the future had fled before 
 the carking cares of the present, and 
 the hardships of his pecuniary position 
 were making themselves felt in full force. 
 He took the little slip of paper on which 
 his mother's words were written, and 
 placed it in his pocket-book. Then he
 
 116 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 went on again and, turning into the 
 broad walk, descried old Henry, who was 
 hastening towards him as fast as his 
 aged liinbs would permit. 
 
 " My lady, your grandmamma, begs 
 you to come to her at once, Lieutenant," 
 he said, looking up into the young man's 
 troubled face with kindly sympathising 
 eyes as he delivered his message. 
 
 The old Baroness was pacing up and 
 down her room. A slight delicate flush 
 overspread her proud face, and her dark 
 eyes glanced ever and anon impatiently 
 towards the red hangings of the door 
 through which her grandson must enter. 
 In her hand she held an open letter, and 
 from time to time she would pause and 
 look at the paper. 
 
 "It is incredible," said she in a low 
 voice. " To think of these Konigsburg 
 Derenbergs getting such a footing there !
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 117 
 
 Dio mio, what pills rny Lady Stontheim 
 gives me to swallow in this short note. 
 And yet we must thank God that matters 
 have taken this turn. How glad I am 
 that, in spite of the coolness existing 
 between us, I insisted on Army's going 
 to pay his respects to her." She cast 
 another glance at the letter. 
 
 " I found Armand amiable and well- 
 mannered, a young gentleman of the 
 true Derenberg stamp, and though our 
 acquaintance is but short, I have grown 
 really and heartily fond of him." 
 
 The old lady's lip curled disdainfully. 
 
 "I am, as you will remember of old, 
 one of those persons who speak their 
 mind honestly and straightforwardly. We 
 two never could understand each other, 
 owing, no doubt, to the very great differ- 
 ence existing in all our views and ways 
 of thought. But now, my dear Baroness,
 
 118 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 that we have both grown to be old 
 women it surely is time to make our 
 peace for the short span of life that is 
 left to us. I hold out the olive-branch 
 to you. Let bygones be bygones. There 
 were faults, I dare say, on both sides. 
 And now I must confide to you a pet 
 scheme of mine which concerns Armand. 
 You will doubtless have heard from him 
 that I have a young relation living with 
 me, a motherless girl, whom I, in my lone- 
 liness, have taken to be as a daughter to 
 me, and whom I love as though she really 
 were my own child. If I am not much 
 mistaken, Armand looked on his cousin 
 with no indifferent eyes. I should be sin- 
 cerely rejoiced if the two were to fall in 
 love, and, in order to give the man oppor- 
 tunity of so doing, I am sending Blanche 
 to you under the pretext that your forest 
 air will prove beneficial to her health.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 May the two young hearts grow mutually 
 attached, so that I may one day find a son 
 in Armand. You are a wise and prudent 
 woman, my dear Baroness, and I need 
 not beg you to give the young people no 
 hint of my wishes on this subject. My 
 hope is that they may be drawn together 
 by a real and true affection. It is pos- 
 sible that Blanche may have some notion 
 of my plan in her sage little head. I 
 
 I- JL 
 
 have communicated to her nothing of it. 
 And now we must leave the rest to the 
 Almighty, trusting that He may work 
 it out in accordance with our desires. 
 Again in imagination tendering to you 
 the hand of peace, and hoping for a 
 speedy answer, 
 
 " I am, dear Baroness, 
 " Yours, 
 
 " EBNESTINE, COUNTESS STONTHEIM, 
 " nee DEEENBEEG."
 
 120 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Quite grandiose, I declare," remarked 
 the old lady; " and we must put a good 
 face on it, and look as if we liked it. It 
 is a clever stroke of Madame Stontheim's, 
 but she was always cunning. Blanche 
 is her heiress, that is clear, and now she 
 has got to know the hoy, she would like 
 to arrange the matter amicahly. I must 
 look sweet, and hite the sour apple 
 offered me, thanking Heaven it is there 
 to bite. She is a spiteful, malicious 
 creature, my lady Stontheim ! But I 
 must give the lad a hint. It would 
 appear that he is not indifferent to the 
 charms of this Blanche, and ..." 
 
 At this moment Armand entered the 
 room. His grandmother nodded to him 
 kindly. 
 
 "I have got a letter from your aunt 
 Stontheim," said she, stopping and hold- 
 ing out her hand to him. "It is to
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 121 
 
 announce Blanche's speedy arrival; and 
 now, dear, forget that I ungraciously 
 opposed your plans last night. I had a 
 slight touch of headache, and you know 
 that always puts me out of temper. I 
 am really pleased at the thought of the 
 young lady's visit." 
 
 Armand, who had bent his curly head 
 over her outstretched hand, looked up 
 with beaming eyes into his grandmother's 
 face. "Beally, Granny? Thank you; 
 you take a mountain-load off my mind. I 
 was annoyed to think that a troublesome 
 burden was being laid upon you. May 
 I know what my aunt says in her letter ?" 
 
 The old lady smiled. "No, my dear," 
 said she. "It is not good to hear too 
 flattering a report of one's self." 
 
 " Aunt likes me ? " he asked with con- 
 siderable animation, twirling his saucy 
 little moustache.
 
 122 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Your aunt thinks you are a sensible, 
 good-hearted young fellow, and you will 
 one day show yourself a Derenberg of 
 the true old type." 
 
 Armand's face fell. " Is that all ? " 
 
 " Especially if you should chance to 
 be blessed with a lovely wife whom you 
 adore," hinted his grandmother, roguishly. 
 
 " Does she say that ? " he cried in a 
 glow of excitement, hastily seizing her 
 hand. " Best of grannies, be good to 
 me. Tell me if she mentions any tiling 
 about her, about Blanche. Does she 
 think Blanche cares for me ? " 
 
 "Army! How very indelicate ! Com- 
 pose yourself, pray. Who is talking 
 about Blanche ? I have said nothing, 
 not a word, you understand ? Who is 
 dreaming of such a thing? Why, you 
 are barely one and twenty ! " 
 
 But Armand had his arm round his
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 123 
 
 grandmother's neck, and in spite of her 
 resistance, managed to imprint two hearty 
 kisses on her cheek; after which he 
 rushed out of the room in most uncere- 
 monious fashion. 
 
 " Orribile! " said the old lady, settling 
 her lace cap. " He must be frightfully 
 in love with her already. If Madame 
 Stontheim had seen him just now, she 
 would have her doubts as to his possess- 
 ing the true Derenberg character." 
 
 She paused a while and meditated, 
 searching, as it seemed, for something in 
 the past of which the late scene with her 
 grandson had vaguely reminded her. Sud- 
 denly a bright memory flashed upon her, a 
 memory from happier days. She saw her- 
 self, as a young and beautiful girl, throw- 
 ing her arms round the half-blind duenna 
 and kissing her eagerly in an ecstasy 
 of delight. "Wherefore ? Because out
 
 124 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 yonder in the balcony, under the bloom- 
 ing oleanders, in the soft evening air, a 
 slender, fair-haired man had been relating 
 to her in strange, foreign-sounding Italian 
 many things of his distant home, telling 
 her of an old German castle girt round 
 with verdant oak-forests, of an old 
 German lady with blue eyes and kindly 
 face. A gentler expression stole over 
 her features, as she remembered the 
 happy tumult of her young heart on that 
 night. " He has my blood in his veins," 
 she said. " God grant a better fulfil- 
 ment to his wishes than mine have met 
 with." Then she sat down in the chair 
 before the writing-table, and let her 
 thoughts roam onwards, picturing to 
 herself a bright future, the rosy dawn 
 of which already faintly coloured the 
 horizon. And as she so sat dreaming, 
 the old Castle appeared before her again,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 125- 
 
 invested with all the glamour of long 
 bygone days. 
 
 Meanwhile Armand was rushing about 
 the park in a state of high excitement. 
 Meeting his sister on his way downstairs,, 
 he had hugged her almost to suffocation, 
 and had talked unintelligibly about a new 
 dress, a blue one such as Blanche wore. 
 To his mother, who was quite at a loss to 
 understand her son's wild spirits, he had 
 chattered of mineral baths ; how neces- 
 sary it would be for her to try their effect 
 on her shattered health, and how she 
 certainly must pass a season at some- 
 watering-place, if not that year, without 
 fail the next. After this he had gone 
 with his sister and old Henry to inspect 
 the rooms he had chosen for Blanche, 
 and had ordered here and commanded 
 there. Nelly had been obliged to promise- 
 her little work-table, and her mother's-
 
 126 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 flower-stand. Then tie had found fault 
 with the curtains and pictures, had seen 
 the latter taken down and others hung in 
 their place, and had repeatedly declared 
 to Nelly that he would have carpets and 
 curtains sent from his garrison-town to 
 replace these old worn-out things. A 
 new suit of livery for Henry was also to 
 be forthcoming. Finally, he had caught 
 his sister round the waist, and anxiously 
 asked her if she did not think Blanche 
 would be sure to like the place a little if 
 if she did not agree with him that this 
 room had the best prospect ; adding in 
 the same breath " Ah, little one, how 
 astonished you will be when you see her, 
 how astonished you will be ! " And now 
 he was out in the old park, wandering 
 about the grass-grown walks, longing for 
 the hour when he might start on his 
 journey to her, to tell her how pleased
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 127 
 
 they all were at home at the thought of 
 seeing her. 
 
 At length, at length, evening carne, 
 and he made ready for his departure. 
 After a short leave-taking, a few words 
 spoken out of a full heart, " Good-bye 
 for a little while we shall have a plea- 
 sant meeting soon, I hope ; " he went 
 out into the balmy spring night, and 
 strode away down to the village to take 
 his place in the mail-coach. At the park 
 gates he plucked a branch of lilac in full 
 bloom ; it would be like a message from 
 his home to Blanche. Then the post-boy 
 blew his horn, and he was carried away 
 through the sleeping country, his wakeful 
 mind busy with a thousand blissful 
 thoughts. 
 
 Down at the Mill a window was opened 
 gently, and a brown head looked out, 
 gazing with longing, tearful eyes over at
 
 128 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 the high-road. Lizzie knew that he was 
 to leave that evening. He had told her 
 so himself, and she had waited, and 
 waited for him the whole day long hut 
 he had not come and hark ! that was the 
 post-horn note ringing out through the 
 still night. What a sad sound it had t 
 A faint responding echo was wafted back 
 from the forests, and softly, veiy softly, 
 she closed the window again.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 129 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 NEXT day brought a change of weather. 
 The sky was all one leaden grey, and a 
 fine continuous rain fell, drowning the 
 glory of the apple-blossoms and the lilacs. 
 In the afternoon Lizzie betook herself to 
 her own little room, and standing there, 
 looked sorrowfully out over the dripping 
 garden, to the heights where the Castle 
 towers loomed grey and indistinct, 
 wrapped in a shadowy veil of mist. 
 
 Everything had gone wrong that day. 
 Every one had looked cross and disagree- 
 able. Her father had had some unplea- 
 santness in the business ; Aunty was out 
 
 VOL. I. 9
 
 130 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 of temper, because Dolly had not shut 
 the stable-door, behind which the turkey- 
 hen and her seven chicks resided. In 
 consequence of this, there they all were 
 paddling about in the rain, a thing con- 
 trary to all rule and precedent. The 
 little creatures would die, every one of 
 them, she prophesied. She felt as sure 
 of it as if she saw them all sitting in a 
 row and turning up their eyes. Dolly 
 had had a famous scolding, and had crept 
 about the house with red eyes and a woe- 
 begone face. Then, to make matters 
 worse, a visitor had arrived young 
 Herr Selldorf, who was coming to be 
 with her father in the business, and he 
 had dined with the family. In general, 
 the employes took their meals in the other 
 house where they lived, for Herr Erving 
 did not like any intrusion on his own 
 home ; but in this case he made an ex-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 131 
 
 ception for once, the young man's father 
 being an old and very intimate friend. 
 So the young gentleman with the curly 
 light hair and the great blue cravat had 
 taken his seat opposite Lizzie at table, 
 and had stolen looks at her from time to 
 time, which was certainly very unneces- 
 sary ; and all through the dinner the talk 
 had been of Herr Selldorf the elder, of 
 the state of the business, and of Frau 
 Selldorf s health it had all been so tire- 
 some and tedious ! Added to this, Lizzie 
 had forgotten to feed her doves, for the 
 first time since the duty had devolved on 
 her, and this made her feel angry with 
 herself. What could be the matter with 
 her ? Then she remembered how the 
 day before she had sat with her work 
 under the great lime before the house- 
 door, until it grew quite dark, and how 
 every time a figure appeared up yonder
 
 132 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 among the trees, she had been startled, 
 and her heart had begun to beat violently. 
 But each time it had turned out to be 
 quite an ordinary person who was coming 
 down the road once it was even Weid- 
 ner's old Polly, who was always going 
 begging. At last, she had run away up- 
 stairs, had sat down and cried. 
 
 She shook her head in vexation, as she 
 had to confess it to herself, and blushed 
 again and again, as she remembered that 
 she had got out of bed last night, because 
 her thoughts would not let her rest, and 
 had opened the window to listen for the 
 post-horn, which the coachman on the 
 box would sound as he set off with his 
 passenger, Army yes, with Army, who 
 was leaving them all so soon again ! 
 
 " What a pity it is such horrid 
 weather ! " she murmured to herself, 
 taking down a volume of G-eibel's poems
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 133 
 
 from the bookshelf. "Nelly would surely 
 be coming down, but for that." She sat 
 down on the little sofa, leaned her head 
 on her hand, and turned over the pages 
 of the book, giving no more than a fleet- 
 ing glance at the graceful little songs she 
 was generally so fond of reading. Then 
 she raised her head quickly, and turned 
 a listening ear towards the door. Yes, 
 sure enough that was Aunty's familiar 
 step coming across the hall. Next 
 minute the kind old face, framed in its 
 snow-white cap, looked in at the door. 
 
 "For goodness' sake, where are you, 
 child?" asked Aunt Marie, panting for 
 breath. " You have been looking as sour 
 as vinegar all day, and now you are 
 sitting up here reading, instead of coming 
 to help poor old Aunty a bit ; you know 
 it is Thursday, and the pastor's people 
 are coming. That Dolly is as cross as
 
 134 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 two sticks because of the scolding she 
 got to-day, and Mina is sulking to keep 
 her company. You might have come 
 and given a helping hand with the 
 pigeons, or peeled the asparagus. It is 
 not over easy to do, and you ought to 
 learn all these things. You will want 
 them in the future, for where a mistress 
 is her own housekeeper, there will be 
 flitches on the rafters. But, dear me, 
 what a pretty place you have here ! It 
 is quite a pleasure to see it ! " she broke 
 off, surveying the charming little room 
 which, with its varnished white furniture 
 covered with blue and white striped 
 chintz, and its airy window curtains, 
 was indeed exactly what a maiden's 
 chamber should be. " And just see how 
 that myrtle there is growing. Ah, yes, 
 that reminds me what I came upstairs 
 for. Here is something Nelly has written
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 135 
 
 to you. Old Henry brought it over." 
 She took a little note from the leathern 
 pocket she wore under her apron, and 
 gave it to Lizzie, who opened it quickly 
 and read its contents. 
 
 " Only think, Aunty," cried she in sur- 
 prise, "they are going to have a visitor 
 up at the Castle ; Nelly is half wild with 
 delight. It is a cousin, Blanche von 
 Derenberg, they are expecting; Army is 
 coming home on leave, and I am to 
 go up as often as possible to see them." 
 
 " Oh ? " said the old woman. 
 
 "Yes; Nelly says she should have 
 come to tell me all about it, but she 
 has not time to-day. She has to stay 
 and help to get the rooms ready." 
 
 " They have only just heard of it, I 
 suppose ? " remarked old Aunty. 
 
 "Oh no," said Lizzie. "Nelly writes 
 that it was for that Army came."
 
 136 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Army has been here?" asked Aunt 
 Marie in surprise, with a quick look at 
 the young girl, who had suddenly blushed 
 red as a peony. " When did he come ? " 
 
 "On Nelly's birthday," was the answer, 
 given in rather a small voice. 
 
 " Now think of that ! And you never 
 said a word about it, Lily you who 
 always tell me everything." There was 
 a touch of anxiety in the old woman's 
 tone. " Say, Lily, why did you keep it 
 back? " she asked again, quickly. 
 
 "Because I did not want to hear you 
 talking about his having grown proud 
 and haughty ..." 
 
 " And why don't you like to hear that, 
 Lily?" 
 
 " Because it is not true, because he 
 had not time, or he would have 
 come . . ." 
 
 Suddenly she broke out crying. All
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 137 
 
 her disappointment of the day before 
 found vent in a rush of hitter tears. 
 
 "But, Lily, my darling, what does all 
 this mean? It is not right to cry for 
 such a thing as this. What in the world 
 is Army to you ? ' ' The old woman 
 spoke in a chiding tone, but it was plain 
 that a great load had fallen on her heart. 
 " I should think it cannot matter to you 
 how I speak of Army. Your ways and 
 his ways run apart now, it is not like 
 when you were children. He is a great 
 gentleman now, and you are a grown- 
 up woman. What is one to think, if you 
 begin to cry in this silly way ? " 
 
 But Lizzie threw her arms round the 
 old woman's neck, " Oh, Aunty, don't 
 be angry with me," she sobbed; "it is 
 very childish of me, I know, but I can't 
 bear to hear you speak of them up at the 
 Castle as you do. You see, we have
 
 138 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 always been such good friends, and have 
 played together always, and I feel as if 
 you were unmercifully crushing out all 
 the pleasant old memories when you say 
 cross things of Army and Nelly." 
 
 Aunt Marie shook her head. " Child," 
 she said then, "you don't know what 
 bitter trouble once came to this house 
 from the Castle up yonder." 
 
 " Can Army and Nelly help that ? " 
 
 "No, but . . ." 
 
 " You say yourself we ought to forgive 
 our enemies." 
 
 " That is true, but it is a hard task to 
 forgive a wrong which comes home to 
 one as that did . . ." 
 
 "Ah, don't say anything more about 
 it, Aunty," pleaded Lizzie coaxingly, 
 smiling through her tears up into the 
 other's wrinkled face. " I won't cry 
 again in this absurd way, but you will
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 139 
 
 promise me, won't you, not to scold any 
 more. I will come down now, and help 
 to roast the pigeons nice and brown and 
 crisp, as father likes them, shall I ? And 
 have you got the young radishes out of 
 the garden, or shall I go and gather 
 them ? " So she went on begging and 
 coaxing, until the old woman pressed a 
 kiss on her rosy mouth, and they went 
 together across the darkening landing 
 of the upper storey, where mighty old 
 wardrobes and linen presses were ranged 
 along the walls. Old Aunty involuntarily 
 looked over at one of the doors opposite, 
 and heaved a piteous sigh. 
 
 " That used to be Lisette's little bed- 
 room," said she, with some emphasis on 
 the words. 
 
 The young girl nodded, and sprang 
 down the stairs. She had often heard 
 "Lisette" spoken of, and knew that her
 
 140 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 great-aunt had borne that name, which 
 old Marie never pronounced without a 
 certain solemnity of accent ; but as no 
 particulars respecting Lisette's fate or 
 fortunes had ever been communicated to 
 her, she did not feel any great interest 
 in knowing where she had slept. She 
 felt ashamed, too, now of having cried 
 like a baby before old Aunty. What 
 would she fancy ? Perhaps that she, 
 Lily, cared for . . . Lizzie did not 
 follow out her thought, but ran away 
 singing, down to the parlour to say good 
 evening to the pastor and his wife. 
 
 Old Marie's eyes followed her with a 
 troubled look. " Holy Father!" she 
 murmured, " in Thy mercy spare us a 
 second such misfortune. For a mis- 
 fortune it would be ! No good thing has 
 come from up yonder, since that foreign 
 woman has lived at the Castle. Lord
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 141 
 
 Almighty, keep the girl's thoughts from 
 wandering. She does not know it her- 
 self yet, but it is true, I could hear it ! 
 She is fond of Army. Oh Lord, Lord, 
 what can he done to stop it ? " 
 
 So old Aunty pondered and pondered, 
 as she helped to prepare the supper in 
 the spotless kitchen. As Lizzie's clear 
 tones reached her ear from time to time, 
 she shook her head mysteriously, and at 
 supper-time she furtively watched the 
 smiling face from which all trace of 
 tears had vanished. 
 
 A cheerful, happy party it was which 
 sat at the great round tahle in the cool 
 dining-room where the snow-white cloth 
 was laid. The master of the house, with 
 his genial, handsome face framed in a 
 full, well-grown heard ; the pastor, whose 
 beaming countenance betokened the 
 pleasure it gave him to sit thus, an
 
 142 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 honoured guest, beneath his old friend's 
 roof ; and the pastor's plump little wife, 
 Rosina, who was always cheerful and 
 sweet-tempered, though she had a flock 
 of little children at home, rising one 
 ahove the other like the pipes in an 
 organ, and it was hard work often to 
 find frocks and jackets for them all. 
 Even on these Thursday evenings at the 
 Mill, when she meant to rest and refresh 
 herself after all the exertions of the 
 week, she could not sit on the sofa beside 
 the mistress without having a little sock 
 in her hand at which she knitted away 
 industriously. Not unfrequently Frau 
 Erving, with a smile, would lay a whole 
 packet of finished stockings in her lap, 
 and say, " There, dear, I have helped 
 you a bit. Now do put away that knit- 
 ting for one evening, and sing us a song 
 instead. And then Rosina would sing
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 143 
 
 some simple ballad in her gentle soprano ; 
 but, directly it was over, she would take 
 up the needles again mechanically, and 
 say, smiling at herself, " Don't mind, 
 Minnie. I really can't help it." 
 
 The mistress was feeling unusually well 
 this evening, and was telling Kosina long 
 stories of domestic and household man- 
 agement, and Lizzie joked and laughed 
 merrily with her father and the pastor. 
 Old Aunty alone seemed quiet and out 
 of spirits. She had not even a smile for 
 the praises her skill in cookery called 
 forth, and tasted not a drop of the 
 fragrant Moselle which sparkled so en- 
 ticingly in the great green wine-glass 
 before her. 
 
 "Do you know, pastor, I have got a 
 son of your old school friend, Selldorf's, 
 here ? " said the master of the house. 
 
 "A lad of Selldorf's? You don't say
 
 144 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 so! Now, how has the world used 
 him ? " 
 
 "He is at the head of some great 
 chemical works over in Thuringia." 
 
 " Bless me ! and the young man is 
 to ..." 
 
 " The young one has come to pry and 
 poke about in my business, because his 
 father intends to start a paper manu- 
 factory vulgarly speaking, a rag-mill. 
 He has had plenty of luck, has Selldorf. 
 He went as book-keeper into the concern 
 which is now his own, married the prin- 
 cipal's only daughter, and became a made 
 man. He has his wits about him, and 
 is a thoroughly honest, genuine fellow. 
 You must take a look at the lad. He 
 is strikingly like what his father was in 
 the old days the same light, curly wig, 
 the same eyes. I felt as if I had grown 
 young again when I saw him standing 
 before me."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 145 
 
 " What have you done with him ? " 
 
 " He is over at the house of business, 
 I am not going to make a hair's differ- 
 ence between him and the others. He 
 had his dinner here with us to-day, hut 
 that's enough. You know I like to be 
 quiet with my own people at home." 
 
 The pastor nodded. " Well, I must 
 have a look at the boy, that's certain. 
 And what does Miss Lizzie say on the 
 subject ? " he asked of the girl, jestingly. 
 
 " Nothing at all, uncle," answered she. 
 
 "Well, that is not much," he laughed. 
 " But, a propos, that reminds me, 
 Lizzie, Army has been here. I saw him 
 coming from the coach when he arrrived. 
 A la bonne Tieure I he has grown a fine 
 young fellow, if you like. Have you 
 seen him, little one ? " 
 
 Lizzie nodded, but her face suddenly 
 glowed with a deep crimson dye. Old 
 
 VOL. I. 10
 
 146 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Aunty looked at her so sharply across the 
 table, 
 
 " I can't help feeling a little hurt, 
 though, that he does not think it worth 
 while to come down, and give us a call," 
 went on the worthy pastor. "It is not 
 nice of him to ignore his old tutor. 
 That is a hit of the old Baroness in 
 him." 
 
 " You are not the only one who has 
 cause to complain," said the mistress of 
 the house. "He has not been here at 
 the Mill either. But Nelly comes to 
 see us." 
 
 "A darling girl she is," observed the 
 pastor's wife. 
 
 " For all the world like her grand- 
 father," broke in old Aunty's voice. 
 " That was a man for you ! Well, well, 
 whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth." 
 
 " He had an unhappy time of it with
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 147 
 
 his wife, I suppose ? " asked Kosina, 
 turning to the old woman. 
 
 " Oh, ma'am, wherever she goes, 
 trouble is sure to follow. She has not 
 been content with ruining her own 
 people, but she must bring sorrow and 
 misery into the houses of others." 
 
 "Yes, she must have gone on in a 
 reckless fashion," assented the minister. 
 " One hears something of it from the 
 villagers every now and then." 
 
 "My family could tell a tale thereof, 
 could not they, Aunty ? " said the master. 
 
 "Ah! that God Almighty knows," 
 cried old Marie. " The tears that woman 
 has caused to flow ! But He has taken 
 count of them all," she added, getting 
 up quickly and going out of the room. 
 
 " It could do no harm," she murmured, 
 when she reached her own little refuge, 
 and once more thought over the subject
 
 148 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 that was troubling her. " It could do 
 no harm if I were to tell Lily the story. 
 It might give her an inkling of what sort 
 of people they are up yonder." 
 
 Then she rose, looked for a key which 
 had been put safely away, went softly 
 out towards the staircase, and opened 
 the door of Lisette's chamber. 
 
 The room she entered was of small 
 dimensions, and contained very simple 
 furniture, which in the now gathering 
 dusk could hardly be distinguished. 
 Between the two windows stood a chest 
 of drawers with brightly polished clamps 
 and handles ; above them was a looking- 
 glass in a carved wood frame surmounted 
 by a curious scroll. There was also a 
 small bedstead painted green and orna- 
 mented with a gay garland of roses, and 
 before it a tiny table, on three legs, with 
 an inlaid star on the top ; and against
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 149 
 
 the opposite wall stood a high-backed, 
 spindle-legged sofa which fairly groaned 
 as old Aunty sat down on it. Over the 
 bed hung a little black crucifix under a 
 brightly coloured print representing a 
 girl with a dove on her hand. In the 
 space between the bed and the window 
 a small wardrobe, with inlaid figures of 
 darker wood on the doors, had managed 
 to squeeze itself in ; whilst at the further 
 window stood a work-table with a tall 
 prie-dieu chair before it. Under the 
 looking-glass was suspended a withered 
 wreath, tied with a faded blue ribbon, 
 which contrasted strangely with the fresh 
 bunch of lilac set in the old cut tumbler 
 on the drawers. This love-token Aunt 
 Marie never failed to place there when 
 the lilac trees were in bloom. The 
 former tenant of this room had so loved 
 the delicate mauve blossoms, and the
 
 150 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 season of early spring always called up 
 in the old woman's heart a series of 
 recollections half sweet, half painful. 
 
 So, as she sat this evening in the 
 chamber which had once been the beauti- 
 ful Lisette's, different images rose before 
 her, and past and present grew confused 
 in her mind. She herself was a blithe 
 young maiden again, and there at the 
 window stood the slender figure of her 
 friend, whose beautiful eyes were gazing 
 lovingly over towards the south tower 
 of the distant Castle. " He is coming, 
 Marie, he is coming," the girl had often 
 cried, clapping her hands in an ecstasy 
 of joy. Then they had gone down into 
 the garden together, and there, in the 
 shady jessamine bower, a happy pair of 
 lovers had sat and talked in all honour 
 and chaste happiness. 
 
 And then ?
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 151 
 
 Then came a time when the lovely 
 form lay stretched upon that hed, crushed 
 and broken by the weight of affliction, 
 the sweet cheeks colourless, the blue eyes 
 wild with delirious excitement. 
 
 Was it not enough to have witnessed 
 such misery once in a lifetime ? " Oh r 
 God, keep my darling, my Lity!" she 
 prayed, laying her head against the back 
 of the sofa. Her clasped hands sank 
 down on her lap, and tears forced them- 
 selves into her weary eyes. 
 
 Suddenly two little hands took tight 
 hold of her folded palms, a soft cheek 
 was laid against hers, and when she 
 looked up, she met a pair of deep-blue 
 eyes earnestly fixed upon her, while a 
 soft voice asked 
 
 " Why are you crying, Aunty ? Are 
 you angry with me still ? " 
 
 The old woman did not reply at once.
 
 152 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 She almost felt as though some fair 
 vision had appeared to her. But soon she 
 asked, " What brings you here, Lily ? " 
 
 "Forgive me, Aunty. I went to look 
 for you downstairs in your own room. 
 They are talking so much about a Baron 
 Fritz and my great- aunt Lisette. I 
 wanted to ask you if you would not tell 
 me something about them, so I came 
 after you here." 
 
 " You have come at a right time, Lily. 
 Let them talk below. No one knows 
 the tale as I do, for I lived through it 
 all and saw it with my own eyes. I 
 did mean that for a long while yet you 
 should hear nothing of all the chances 
 and changes of life, but perhaps it will 
 be better for you . . . Come, sit down." 
 
 The young girl obeyed, casting a timid 
 look about the room into which she 
 had never glanced but once when she
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 153 
 
 was quite a little child and the old 
 woman stroked her apron smooth, and 
 folded her hands again, making ready 
 to speak. Yet she remained silent still, 
 looking ahout her as though in some 
 distressful doubt. Should she relate to 
 this young creature the sad story, and 
 sow the seeds of enmity and rancour 
 and cruel distrust in this innocent soul ? 
 The maiden, sitting by her side in mute 
 expectation, was but a child still she 
 would soon forget this nonsense about 
 Army. No, she could not tell the piteous 
 tale. And yet, if she were to live to 
 see the thing repeated, to feel she had 
 not warned her darling while there was 
 yet time ! " Oh, dear Lord," she mur- 
 mured, "what shall I do ? what had I 
 better do ? " 
 
 " Open the window first, Lily," she 
 begged ; " it is so close in here."
 
 154 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 The young girl threw the window wide 
 open. It had ceased raining. A gentle 
 drip, drip, from leaf to leaf might still 
 be heard among the tall old trees, and 
 there was borne into the room that fresh 
 smell of earth which always fills the air 
 after a heavy shower. 
 
 " Lily," she said then, in a very low 
 voice. 
 
 "Aunty?" asked the girl in reply,, 
 stroking the withered cheeks. 
 
 "Lily, I ... I think it would be' 
 better for you not to go up to Nelly so 
 often by-and by, I mean, when Army 
 is there, and the cousin," she added 
 soothingly, as Lizzie turned her head 
 quickly towards her with an expression 
 of surprise. "You see, it is not ... I 
 think ... I ..." she stammered, and 
 broke down. 
 
 " Don't talk of that any more, tell me
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 155 
 
 about Lisette instead," pleaded the girl, 
 coaxingly, fearing lest old Aunty should 
 revert to the dreaded theme which had 
 heen broached that afternoon. 
 
 "About Lisette ? " cried the old woman, 
 hastily. " Well, I was going to tell you 
 that she was the sweetest, dearest crea- 
 ture on God's earth, and that she lost 
 her life, because . . . just because . . . 
 Listen, Lily ; if ever you hear an ill word 
 spoken of your great-aunt, give it the 
 lie at once, for there never was a purer 
 heart, or one broken with more shame- 
 ful, deliberate cruelty." 
 
 She paused a while. 
 
 " Don't go to the Castle any more, 
 Lily," she went on, taking the girl's 
 hand and pressing it fervently. " See, 
 deary, I can't tell you exactly how it 
 all happened. I can't bring myself to 
 speak of it. You shall hear the story
 
 156 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 some day; but, trust me, it is not well 
 to cross the old Baroness's path . . . 
 she . . ." 
 
 " Has that anything to do with the 
 story of Aunt Lisette?" asked the girl. 
 " Tell me, Aunty; tell me, do." 
 
 "I say neither No nor Yes, Lily," 
 answered old Marie ; " but this I do 
 say," she added solemnly, "the end of 
 all things has not come yet, and if 
 matters went from bad to worse with 
 her, and she were to come here as a 
 beggar to the door, I would thrust her 
 away, and give her neither bit nor sop 
 for when she crosses a threshold, a curse 
 falls upon the house, a curse that will 
 endure for aye and aye. And once before 
 I die, I will yet tell her to her face that 
 she is a . . ." 
 
 "Aunty!" exclaimed Lizzie, holding 
 up her hand to stop her. It was such
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 157 
 
 a shocked little cry, that the old woman 
 paused immediately. 
 
 "Well, well," she murmured, "I will 
 say no more. But you shall not be made 
 miserable as poor Lisette was. I could 
 not live through it again. Ah, mercy 
 on us, child, I did not mean to make 
 you grieve. I only meant to warn you, 
 Lizzie," she went on, drawing the sob- 
 bing girl to her breast. "You shall not 
 be parted from your friend, not for all 
 the world, my deary ; but, you see, when 
 one is young, all sorts of foolish fancies 
 come into one's head. Lizzie, child," 
 she whispered, anxiously, "you know I 
 mean it for your good, don't you, sweet- 
 heart?" 
 
 Lizzie nodded. "Yes, I know you 
 mean it kindly, Aunty, but . . ." She 
 could not go on. A great sadness had 
 fallen upon her, a sadness such as she 
 had never felt before.
 
 158 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Downstairs in the parlour they still sat 
 chatting of former times, of the beautiful 
 Lisette and Baron Fritz. Presently the 
 pastor's wife rose, seated herself at the 
 piano, and sang in her touching voice 
 a little song. 
 
 " On her grave there stands a linden tree, 
 Where the birds and the breeze make melody ; 
 'Neath its branches at eve sit a youthful pair, 
 The miller's lad with his true-love fair. 
 
 " Cold blows the wind, how drearily ! 
 The birds' sweet plaint dies wearily, 
 The babbling lovers grow silent and weep, 
 They themselves know not wherefore, merely to keep 
 With sorrowing Nature in sympathy." 
 
 " Where is our Lizzie ? " asked Kosina, 
 when she had come to the end ; " she 
 must sing us something, too." 
 
 But Lizzie sat upstairs with old Aunty, 
 and when she heard the singing down 
 below, she wept, too, she herself knew 
 not wherefore. A mist had fallen before
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 159 
 
 her eyes, shutting out all the golden old 
 days of the past, with their merry sports, 
 with the sunshine and the flowers. Two 
 laughing childish faces receded farther 
 and farther into the distance, and the 
 fog grew thicker and thicker, until it 
 built itself into a great high wall. Before 
 this wall stood the handsome haughty 
 chatelaine out of the portrait gaUery up 
 yonder, with the wonderful hlack eyes, 
 and dress of blue velvet. She stretched 
 out her hands, as though warning the 
 girl away. "What do you seek here?" 
 this is enchanted ground, and you are 
 not one of us. You are only little Lizzie 
 of the MiU. Go back, go back, or it 
 will be your death. Think of Lisette, 
 the beautiful Lisette, and ..." 
 
 All at once she sprang up hastily, and 
 fled away out of the sacred little chamber 
 to her own room. There she threw her-
 
 160 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 self upon the bed, and wept in bitter 
 trouble and distress about something she 
 as yet hardly realized, hardly understood. 
 A vague, indefinite sense of loss was 
 upon her, making her life appear all 
 empty and desolate. 
 
 Old Aunty stood outside at the door, 
 listening to the piteous sobs within. 
 
 " God ha' mercy ! " she said to herself. 
 " I saw clear. She is fond of him she 
 is fond of Army ! It was time for me to 
 warn her. Better she should cry now 
 than later on. Poor lamb ! Ay, a first 
 love is so sweet, so precious ! " 
 
 Below, the guests were leaving. Old 
 Aunty could distinctly hear the parting 
 words that were spoken. "Ay, ay, 
 Friedrich, such is life ! " said the pastor, 
 winding up some previous conversation. 
 " It hath its joys and its sorrows. Well, 
 when we sit here old people together, let
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 161 
 
 us hope we shall have nothing so sad to 
 relate as the story told this evening. 
 Then we may say to our grandchildren, 
 ' See, things have gone well with us. The 
 Lord has blessed us over and ahove our 
 deserts.' Yes, I fancy I can see you a 
 grandfather, Friedrich, and young Lizzie 
 with a good-looking husband, keeping 
 house here at the Mill. Ah, it will all 
 come in due time. Well, God bless you ; 
 good-bye until Whitsuntide. We shall 
 be here on the Monday ; on the Tuesday 
 you come to us, isn't it so, Eosina ? " 
 
 " Good night, good night. Say good- 
 bye to Lizzie and Aunty for us." 
 
 Then the house grew quite still. Only 
 in Lizzie's little room the stifled sobs 
 went on unhushed, and it was late in the 
 night when the old woman left her post, 
 and crept downstairs to her own room. 
 
 " She is asleep, now," she murmured. 
 
 VOL. I. 11
 
 162 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " God grant her a peaceful awakening 
 and new hope in life, and one day may 
 love and every blessing come to her. She 
 is so young still, so young ! And life is 
 long and difficult to many, ay, to most 
 of us!"
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 163 
 
 CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 WHITSUN-EVE had come. The sun shone 
 brightly in the smiling sky, and darted 
 its golden rays down on the earth, kissing 
 the drowsy rosebuds in the Mill garden, 
 till they suddenly woke and opened ; 
 peeped through the snow-white curtains 
 of the different rooms, and burned hotly 
 on the granite seats before the house- 
 door. Aunt Marie was in the garden, 
 filling her apron with flowers, and Lizzie 
 was there too, helping her. She had on 
 a great round straw hat, and garden- 
 gloves, and was zealously at work seeking
 
 164 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 out and cutting off the loveliest blossoms 
 she could find. 
 
 A new expression had come into the 
 girl's face. Her eyes especially had a 
 changed look. They were not so joyous 
 as would have seemed fitting on this fair 
 cloudless May day, and old Aunty was 
 more tender than ever in her manner 
 towards her darling. A couple of swal- 
 lows shot down past them from the 
 roof, and then soared high into the hlue 
 ether. Indoors all was spotless and 
 bright as a mirror ; even the windows of 
 the old-fashioned dressing-rooms upstairs 
 were thrown wide open, so as to admit 
 the pure air of Heaven into every corner, 
 and the whole house was pervaded by a 
 smell of cakes baking in preparation for 
 the morrow. The house of business was 
 closed, and the rattle and boom of the 
 machinery at the works had ceased early
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 165 
 
 that morning. The hands were all absent, 
 gone home to make ready in their turn 
 for the coming festival. Herr Erving 
 always willingly granted an off-day on 
 such occasions. The work went on all 
 the more merrily afterwards. 
 
 The cashier and the two other young 
 men from the office had departed that 
 morning singing, and with their knap- 
 sacks _on their backs, bent on a short 
 pedestrian tour. Herr Selldorf alone had 
 remained behind. He was at this moment 
 pacing up and down between the alders 
 by the side of the river, in a very con- 
 tented frame of mind. It pleased him to 
 watch the sunbeams glancing on the 
 water and shining through it to its very 
 bed, and the swarms of tiny fishes at each 
 such sunny spot, darting nimbly to and 
 fro with comic twists and turns. Every 
 now and then he would cast a furtive
 
 166 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 look towards the garden to see if no 
 glimpse could be had of a great white 
 straw hat, with corn-flower coloured 
 ribbons. Beneath that hat there shone a 
 pair of eyes more lovely, more expressive, 
 than any he had beheld in his whole 
 life. 
 
 At the open window of the parlour, 
 which looked out into the garden, sat 
 Frau Erving, sewing sky-blue bows on a 
 white dress for her Lizzie to wear on the 
 morrow. She had beckoned to her hus- 
 band to come in to her, and now she was 
 pointing out to him the two figures among 
 the flowers in the garden. 
 
 " Look, Erving, how Aunty is petting 
 that girl," said she, with a smile. " She 
 has always done what she could to spoil 
 her, but it has been getting much worse 
 of late. Some little time back Lizzie 
 went about looking very pale for a day or
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 167 
 
 two ; ever since then it seems as if she 
 could not do enough for the child." 
 
 " Never mind, Minnie, my dear. She 
 could not be in better hands than in old 
 Aunty's. But you are right, she has been 
 looking a trifle pale, has Lily ; and do you 
 know, another thing has struck me ? She 
 has not been up at the Castle for a whole 
 week, though Nelly has been over here 
 several times." 
 
 " Oh, it is only some childish caprice. 
 Perhaps there has been some little tiff 
 between the two girls, but she will be 
 sure to go up there to-morrow. She was 
 talking of it, I think." 
 
 "To-morrow?" said Erving, "why, 
 there is young Selldorf coming to spend 
 the day here ! What are we to do with 
 him all by ourselves ? " 
 
 " Oh, she will not stay long. They 
 have a visitor up at the Castle the cousin
 
 168 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Nelly was telling us of and Army is at 
 home ; but Lizzie has always heen up to 
 wish them a pleasant Whitsuntide. She 
 can hardly omit it this year," said Frau 
 Erving, pleadingly. 
 
 He nodded with rather an absent air. 
 "He is a fine young fellow, is SeUdorf," 
 he said after a pause. His wife looked 
 up at him and smiled; then he laughed 
 back at her. 
 
 " Now I know what you have in your 
 head, old man," cried she, merrily. 
 
 He stooped down to her. " Eeally, 
 Minna? Well, would it be such a bad 
 thing ? You see, I must have a son-in- 
 law who will suit for the business, and 
 this young fellow is one in a thousand. I 
 have got to know him well now -just the 
 same honest, upright character as his 
 father." 
 
 " Husband," said she, and her great
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 169 
 
 eyes looked up at him almost beseech- 
 ingly, "make no plans as yet, I entreat 
 of you. She is hardly more than a child 
 as yet." 
 
 " Were you older when you became my 
 wife, Minnie ? " 
 
 "No, Friedrich, but ..." 
 
 "And have not we been happy together 
 up to this time, and are not we going to 
 be happy ever so much longer?" 
 
 She nodded, but took up her pocket- 
 handkerchief, and pressed it to her eyes. 
 " I did not mean that, dear," she said, as 
 he took her hand, and passed his other 
 arm round her; "but I would so gladly 
 have her yet a little while ah 1 to myself, 
 for who knows how long I may ..." 
 She broke off, trying to repress the tears 
 that were welling forth. " Have patience 
 with me," she pleaded, noticing that a 
 changed, a distressed expression had come
 
 170 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 over his face. " There is such a heaviness 
 at my heart to-day. Don't go away." 
 She smiled up at him again. "Yes, 
 Erving, I shall be glad too for her to 
 find a hushand worthy of her, but he 
 must be to the full as good, as honourable 
 a man as yourself." 
 
 He looked at her fondly. "He must 
 be the best that is to be found," he 
 agreed, " and you shall be the one to 
 decide it." 
 
 "Erving," said she then, reflectively, 
 looking out at the slender figure going 
 along the gravel walk with an apronful 
 of flowers, " Erving, I must be very 
 attentive now, and observe this Selldorf of 
 yours narrowly." 
 
 " Do so, Minnie," he replied, releasing 
 her hand. " You will find him a right- 
 minded, honest fellow." With that he 
 kissed her kindly on the brow, and left
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 171 
 
 her alone to her dreams. The airy muslin 
 at which she was at work slid from her 
 lap, and gradually the lines about her 
 mouth relaxed into a soft happy smile. 
 
 So Whit- Sunday arrived. Before the 
 house-door of the Mill stood two perfectly 
 straight, bright green May-poles, from the 
 uppermost branches of which red ribbons 
 floated in the warm spring breeze. The 
 pigeons sat in a row on the roof and 
 cooed and plumed their feathers. Peter,, 
 mounted on the carriage-box, proudly 
 reining in the spirited bays, had also tied 
 to his whip a red favour in honour of the 
 day, while at either side of the comfort- 
 able open carriage fresh branches of birch 
 were stuck triumphantly. Presently the 
 sound of church bells was heard from the 
 village below, and Mina Dolly had to 
 stay at home to-day and cook Mina, 
 dressed in her Sunday best, hymn-book
 
 172 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 in hand, went by, nodding furtively to 
 Peter as she passed. Then the master 
 came out of the house and lifted his wife 
 into the carriage. Lizzie and old Aunty 
 followed, the former looking more lovely 
 than ever in her airy white dress and 
 blue sash and breast-knots. Aunty shone 
 resplendent in black silk. Her cap was 
 trimmed with lace and bright purple 
 ribbons, and in her hand she held her 
 prayer-book, together with her hand- 
 kerchief and a many-coloured posy. 
 Lizzie, too, carried a bunch of rosebuds 
 in her hand. 
 
 Dolly, curtseying, closed the carriage- 
 door. 
 
 "Be sure and not let the fowls burn," 
 exhorted Aunty. 
 
 "No fear," replied the girl; and then 
 added, looking at her young mistress, 
 " say a prayer for me, too, Fraulein."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 173- 
 
 Lizzie nodded. " Why I, in particular,. 
 Dolly? " asked she, smiling. 
 
 " Oh, because the Almighty must take 
 pleasure in the looks of you, for sure," 
 remarked Dolly. 
 
 Hen- Erving laughed. "Now, Peter, 
 my man, set out." 
 
 So the carriage rolled away down 
 towards the village, and its occupants 
 had enough to do to respond to the salu- 
 tations addressed to them on all sides. 
 As they passed the pastor's house, a 
 perfect rain of flowers fell into Lizzie's 
 lap, and the hand of small assailants, 
 crouching behind the hedge with many 
 a merry titter, sprang up directly the 
 carriage had passed, and shouted with all 
 the might of their by no means feeble 
 lungs, " Good morning, cousin Lizzie, 
 cou-sin Liz-zie ! " 
 
 At the church door stood Herr Selldorf.
 
 174 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 He blushed to the eyes as lie gave his 
 hand to Lizzie to help her alight, and 
 then asked permission of Herr Erving to go 
 with them into their pew. So he sat next 
 the girl during the sermon, for Aunty had 
 taken her place with Lizzie's parents on 
 the front seat. Honour to whom honour 
 is due ! Frau Erving and the pastor's 
 wife, who with her two boys occupied the 
 minister's pew, exchanged surreptitious 
 nods ; and Herr Otho Selldorf, looking 
 round the little church, where a numerous 
 congregation had devoutly assembled, 
 thought he could perceive that all eyes 
 were directed towards his charming neigh- 
 bour. She sat very quiet, her head 
 lowered, and almost hidden beneath the 
 fine straw hat, her small hands clasped 
 in her lap, her lips slightly moving. 
 During the whole sermon she maintained 
 this attitude, and once her companion
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 175 
 
 fancied he saw a great, sliming drop fall 
 down on to her white dress. But no, 
 that was impossible. What cause for 
 weeping could so young and captivating 
 a creature have on this marvellous Whit- 
 Sunday ? And, indeed, when the pastor 
 had pronounced the "blessing, and the 
 assembled people had raised their voices in 
 the closing hymn, she looked up, and her 
 blue eyes shone clear and serene as before. 
 As they drove homewards, Lizzie re- 
 joiced in the sunshine, and watched with 
 interest the gay holiday folk crowding 
 the high-road. At the great linden-tree 
 Peter was told to stop and open the door 
 to let his young lady alight. " Give my 
 love to Nelly, Lily," cried Aunty after 
 her, as she went forward with a light 
 quick step along the shady road. Her 
 heart began to beat rather fast, it is true, 
 as she turned into the linden avenue.
 
 176 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 She took off her hat, and walked more 
 slowly. Yonder before her appeared the 
 majestic portico, and the two stone bears 
 flanking it looked more grim than ever, 
 and seemed to raise their paws in a 
 threatening manner she had never noticed 
 before. She stood still, and pressed her 
 hand on her throbbing heart. Should 
 she turn round and go back ? But then, 
 what would Nelly say if she never went 
 near her Nelly, who had been accus- 
 tomed to see her come almost every day ? 
 Her friend would begin to think she 
 was afraid of the strange cousin. No ; 
 courage ! she would go on. 
 
 She walked quickly forwards to the end 
 of the avenue and there paused once more, 
 in surprise this time, for not far from her 
 on the lawn, in the shade of the mighty 
 old trees which kept guard, like sentinels, 
 round the open space before the Castle,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 177 
 
 stood a breakfast-table, ready served. 
 Before it, in a reclining chair, sat the 
 younger Baroness, her back turned to the 
 approaching visitor. Opposite her sat 
 the dowager, immersed in the study of a 
 newspaper. Numerous cups and saucers 
 showed that the delicious morning had 
 tempted the whole family out to break- 
 fast in the open air. Lizzie hesitated, 
 not daring to go near. Suddenly the old 
 lady raised her eyes, and became aware 
 of the young girl's presence. At sight 
 of her, she started so violently that a 
 delicate china cup was thrown from the 
 table, and falling with a crash on to the 
 stone seat before it, shivered into a 
 thousand pieces. Before Lizzie could 
 reach the table, the old lady cried out to 
 her hastily 
 
 " How very improper to startle us in 
 this way ! " 
 
 VOL. I. 12
 
 178 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Good morning, Lizzie," said the 
 younger Baroness, raising herself in her 
 seat, and holding out her hand to the 
 young girl. 
 
 " I heg your pardon," Lizzie apologized, 
 addressing the elder lady. " I had been 
 here some little time, but I did not like 
 to come forward and disturb you." She 
 spoke in a quiet self-possessed tone, which 
 contrasted with the old lady's angry 
 exclamation. "And," she continued, "I 
 have only come up for a few minutes to 
 wish you a pleasant Whitsuntide, and to 
 see Nelly." 
 
 " Sit down, Lizzie," said the young 
 Baroness. Nelly will be here directly. 
 She has gone a little way into the park 
 with Blanche and Army. Ah, there she 
 comes already. I can hear them talking." 
 
 The Dowager shrugged her shoulders 
 impatiently as Lizzie sat down, and in-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 179 
 
 quired with affectionate sympathy after 
 the health of the pale lady hy her side, 
 from whose cheeks the faint flush called 
 up by her mother-in-law's sharp speech 
 had already disappeared. 
 
 Meanwhile the voices came nearer, and 
 Lizzie could distinctly hear the deep 
 sonorous tones of her former playmate. 
 A hot suffocating feeling took possession 
 of her, and for a moment seemed to 
 confuse her mind. Then her eyes 
 widened with a look of astonishment, for 
 yonder, to the left, near the empty 
 granite basin of the fountain, she beheld 
 Armand in the company of a young lady 
 on horseback, whose peculiar and some- 
 what fantastic appearance at once at- 
 tracted her whole attention. 
 
 Could the fairy-like creature, so lightly 
 balancing in the saddle yonder, really 
 be a grown-up person? Presently the
 
 180 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 stranger cried in a musical voice, but 
 with the imperious accents of a spoilt 
 child 
 
 "Let go, Army, let go. I want to 
 show my aunt how I can ride by myself." 
 
 Army stepped back; and the horse 
 came on towards them at a slow trot. 
 At every movement of the animal the 
 white lace-trimmed dress flew in a thin 
 cloud round the slight figure which sat 
 so securely on its back. The eyes were 
 lowered, but about the brow and round 
 the pale face was a golden glimmer, 
 showing brightly now in the full sunlight, 
 and down the fairy's back rolled masses 
 of luxuriant, wonderful, red hair. 
 
 " Superb, Blanche, superb ! " cried 
 Army, whose gaze seemed fascinated by 
 the charming vision. " Fraulein Elise 
 at Eenz's circus could not ride better." 
 
 He walked slowly on, keeping at some
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 181 
 
 distance from her, and stopped close to 
 the table ; for just then the fair rider 
 turned her horse's head, and came 
 straight towards the group. The old 
 Baroness's eyes sparkled with pleasure. 
 She herself had been a much-admired 
 horsewoman in her time, and " sport," 
 she felt, was a noble passion, well be- 
 fitting the great. 
 
 " Bravissima, my angel," she cried, as 
 the young lady halted, and, with Armand's 
 assistance, slid easily from the saddle. 
 ' ' You have the horse marvellously under 
 control; but, mia cara, how can you 
 ride in the fierce heat of the sun without 
 a hat? Be careful, I do beg of you. 
 Your wonderful complexion ! In the 
 country one must always ..." 
 
 "Oh, no fear, Aunt; I never tan." 
 She dropped negligently into a rocking 
 chair, which Army advanced for her,
 
 182 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 without noticing the young girl sitting 
 opposite. 
 
 " Fraulein Elizabeth Erving, Nelly's 
 friend," said the younger Baroness, with 
 a little introductory wave of the hand. 
 " My niece, Blanche von Derenberg." 
 
 Blanche raised her lashes, and, without 
 any change of her easy attitude, replied 
 to the girl's graceful salutation by a 
 slight inclination of her head. Her dark 
 eyes rested on the visitor for a moment, 
 however, with an expression of some 
 curiosity. Then she felt for the ivory 
 fan which hung at her side, opened it, 
 and behind this screen, screwed her little 
 mouth into an unmistakable yawn. 
 
 Armand bowed politely, and in answer 
 to his mother's question as to what had 
 become of Nelly, replied that she was 
 probably loitering somewhere in the park. 
 At this moment Henry came, and led
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 183 
 
 away the horse. The old man looked so 
 majestic in his new maroon livery, that 
 Lizzie hardly recognized him at first, 
 but stared at him in surprise. The young 
 lady in the rocking chair noticed this, 
 no doubt, for a rather derisive smile 
 flitted across her face, twitching her 
 rosy lips. Then she rocked herself more 
 diligently than ever, until suddenly she 
 came to a stand. 
 
 " What do you do here all day long ? " 
 she asked, raising the fan again to con- 
 ceal a second yawn. 
 
 "We will go for a walk this after- 
 noon," replied Armand, quickly. " There 
 are charming glades and paths in the 
 forests." 
 
 "For a, walk?" 
 
 "Unfortunately, we have no carriage 
 at our disposal," observed the younger 
 Baroness, simply.
 
 184 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 The old lady laughed ironically. 
 
 "The remark was superfluous, Cor- 
 nelia." 
 
 "Are not you fond of walking, 
 Blanche ? " asked Armand, who had 
 seated himself in the chair opposite his 
 mother. 
 
 "No," she declared, without raising 
 her eyes. 
 
 The young officer hit his lip. 
 
 " Could not we ask Justice Schmidt 
 to lend us his carriage for a couple of 
 hours?" he inquired, after a pause. 
 " What do you say, Granny ? " 
 
 " I say I think it an amazing idea of 
 yours, Army. You really could not ex- 
 pect any one to get into that Noah's Ark." 
 
 "But, Granny . . . True, I hardly 
 think the carriage would he at liberty 
 to-day; the family generally go out for 
 a drive on Sunday afternoon."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 185 
 
 
 
 "I decline the pleasure once for all," 
 protested the old lady. 
 
 "May I offer our carriage?" inquired 
 Lizzie. " My father would be delighted, 
 I am sure . . ." 
 
 " That would be a way out of our 
 difficulty," cried Army. "If you would 
 like it, Blanche, we will accept, will we 
 not, Granny ? ' ' 
 
 " Thank you, not for me," the latter 
 replied; but Blanche said neither yes 
 nor no. She was examining with some 
 curiosity the young girl opposite in her 
 simple white dress. Who could she 
 be? 
 
 " Well, make up your mind, cousin," 
 begged Armand. 
 
 "Yes, decide," added his grandmother, 
 a sarcastic smile playing about the corners 
 of her mouth. " Whitsuntide comes but 
 once a year; and on working days the
 
 186 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 fine horses have no time to spare. They 
 have to fetch the rag-carts, you see." 
 
 "Father's carriage-horses do not do 
 the work of cart-horses," said Lizzie 
 with trembling lips. " They would not 
 have time. They are kept exclusively 
 for my mother's use, as she, unfortu- 
 nately, cannot walk far without fatigue." 
 
 "I don't care to drive to-day," pro- 
 nounced Blanche. The word "rags" 
 had sent a shudder through her frame. 
 
 " Is there much society about here?" 
 she asked. 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied Arrnand, pleasantly ; 
 "but we keep up no intercourse with 
 the people around. Having no carriage, 
 you see . . ." 
 
 " And in the immediate neighbourhood 
 there is not a single family with whom 
 we can suitably associate," completed 
 the old Baroness.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 187 
 
 " Oil ! " said Blanche, leaning back in 
 lier chair. Then she shook her long 
 golden-gleaming hair forward, and began 
 to twine stray tresses of it round her 
 fingers. 
 
 Armand flushed crimson, and cast a 
 rapid glance over at Lizzie, who had 
 risen suddenly. The sweet face was pale 
 as death, and in the great eyes a tear 
 was glistening. 
 
 "I must say good-bye now, without 
 waiting for Nelly." 
 
 " She will be sorry not to have seen 
 you, Lizzie," said the invalid lady next 
 her, holding out her hand. " Perhaps 
 you will meet her in the park. Eemember 
 me to your parents and to Aunty." 
 
 " Thank you, my lady," replied Lizzie, 
 and, bowing to the rest, she turned and 
 went. The Dowager's dark eyes followed 
 the slender figure with an almost in- 
 describable expression of scorn.
 
 188 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Thank God!" she exclaimed, draw- 
 ing a deep breath of relief. "I don't 
 know how it is, hut the sight of that 
 girl always puts me out of temper, and 
 makes me say spiteful things. She has 
 such a detestable way of rattling her 
 money-hags. What presumption to offer 
 her carriage ! And you, Army, were 
 within an ace of accepting it. Fancy 
 exhibiting yourself in the miller's coach, 
 which every child in the place knows. 
 I call it eccentric of you in the ex- 
 treme." 
 
 At this moment Nelly came hurriedly 
 towards them from the avenue, her fail- 
 locks streaming back from her heated 
 face. The clean, but more than simple, 
 cotton frock she wore hardly reached 
 to her feet, which were encased in small, 
 by no means ornamental, leather boots, 
 and her black silk apron, though evidenc-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 189 
 
 ing careful treatment, bore unmistakable 
 marks of age. 
 
 "What has happened to Lizzie?" she 
 asked breathlessly, as she came up to 
 the others. " I met her ; she was crying." 
 
 "In the first place, Nelly, allow me 
 to ask where you have been all this 
 time, and to remark that it is most 
 unbecoming for a young lady to run in 
 that way. And wearing such clothes, 
 too ! " 
 
 " Grandmamma, how funny you are ! " 
 she cried, with a merry laugh. "As if 
 I had ever possessed any grander toilettes 
 than these print dresses. I can't possibly 
 put on my black confirmation-frock on 
 such a day as this." 
 
 Blanche turned her head, and coldly 
 surveyed the despised cotton dress. Her 
 maid would have declined such a costume 
 if it had been offered her. But Armand
 
 190 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 flushed with shame. He remembered a 
 little slip of paper which had contained 
 a gold piece, his mother's birthday 
 present to his sister. What had become 
 of that paper, he wondered. 
 
 " What was Lizzie crying for ? ' 
 repeated the girl, impatiently. " She 
 would not tell me." 
 
 Nobody answered her. " Army, do 
 say," she implored, her eyes filling with 
 tears. 
 
 " The young person would appear to 
 be very sensitive," observed his grand- 
 mother, speaking for him. "I made 
 some very general remark which wounded 
 her class-prejudices keenly. It is always 
 the way with these people. They place 
 themselves on a level with you, and when 
 the absurdity of such conduct ' is pointed 
 out to them, they cannot endure it." 
 
 Nelly was silent. The tone in which
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 191 
 
 her grandmother had spoken of "these 
 people" was enough to make her under- 
 stand all. 
 
 " Well, I find it too warm here for 
 me," went on the old lady ; "and I 
 prefer to retire to the shade of my own 
 cool room. Visitors will always be 
 welcome," she added, as she rose, look- 
 ing over with a friendly smile towards 
 the young lady in the rocking-chair. 
 Those dark eyes of hers could yet beam 
 at times with such a soft, seductive 
 light ! 
 
 " I will go with you, mamma," said 
 her daughter-in-law, rising in her turn. 
 " Nelly, you will stay here now, dear ? " 
 
 The young girl took a seat by her 
 cousin's side. She had pictured this 
 same cousin so very different a person, 
 had rejoiced in thought at the girlish 
 talks they would have together, at the
 
 192 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 pleasant companionship to come- and 
 yesterday that ardently expected ' post- 
 chaise had brought them an elegant, 
 fragile, fashionable lady whose dark eyes 
 travelled with a cold, investigating scru- 
 tiny over the persons and things about 
 her. The two had not as yet exchanged 
 an affectionate word. Blanche was most 
 eloquent with her eyes, and these seemed 
 to say : " How insufferably dull it all is 
 here ! " 
 
 At first sight both the ladies at the 
 Castle had looked with surprise and 
 admiration on the young stranger with 
 the graceful figure and bright floating 
 hair. The Dowager assured Nelly she 
 never could have believed that small, 
 red-haired, consumptive-looking child 
 Blanche would develop into a beauty 
 of this piquant order. Nelly .hardly 
 understood the exact meaning of the
 
 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 193 
 
 adjective " piquant," but she felt herself 
 that her cousin was beautiful. She felt 
 it more strongly than ever at this 
 moment, when the long lashes were low- 
 ered over the cold eyes. That pale oval 
 face, with its dark arched eyebrows, which 
 contrasted so strangely with the gleam- 
 ing tints of the hair, was indeed lovely 
 to look upon as it lay back encircled by 
 the golden rippling veil. Yes, there was 
 a wonderful likeness to the ancestress 
 upstairs the same slender neck, the 
 same delicate bust, the same pose of the 
 small head. Some short curls waved on 
 the alabaster forehead, after the fashion 
 of the day, and a pensive smile played 
 about the corners of her mouth. She 
 was still toying with her ivory fan, strok- 
 ing her cheek caressingly witjh. its smooth 
 surface. 
 Armand stood opposite her, leaning 
 
 VOL. I. 13
 
 194 'LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 against the trunk of the great linie, his 
 eyes meditatively fixed on the fair figure 
 before him. She was here at length, in 
 the home of his fathers. With what a 
 throbbing heart, with what joyful expec- 
 tation, he had looked forward to her 
 coming, and now it almost seemed to 
 him she was like a caged bird, who would 
 gladly have taken flight, winged its way 
 out of this solitude, back to busier, more 
 cheerful scenes. She was so cool in her 
 manner towards him. Even the rooms, 
 which he had prepared with so much 
 care and thought, failed to please her. 
 She hardly vouchsafed them a glance. 
 
 Heavens ! after all, what he had been 
 doing was wonderfully imprudent ! The 
 expenses he had incurred would amount 
 to more then two years' pay, together 
 with all the extra subsidies he could hope 
 for. Bah ! if once he had a firm grip on
 
 .LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 195 
 
 that little hand, the whole business would 
 be a mere bagatelle, not worth mention- 
 ing so Granny had declared to his 
 mother who, poor lady, viewed with 
 apprehensive looks the brand-new uphol- 
 stery, and sighed over the grand liveries 
 provided for Henry and the groom. 
 This latter had lately arrived with his, 
 Armand's, own sorrel and Blanche's 
 riding horse. There were two mouths 
 now feeding in the marble cribs which 
 had so long stood empty. Still more, a 
 professed cook had been temporarily 
 engaged, and was at the present moment 
 exercising her craft in the great kitchen 
 of the castle and all this for the little 
 sylph yonder who sat there so uncon- 
 cerned and indifferent ! 
 
 Armand sighed, and glanced at the 
 grand old edifice standing yonder in the 
 glare of the noonday heat. The burning
 
 196 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 rays scintillated on its pointed, slate-tiled 
 roof, imparting a little trembling motion 
 to the air. Over in Blanche's room a 
 pretty lady's maid leaned out and closed 
 the window. 
 
 " How foolish the girl is ! " cried 
 Blanche, springing up from her chair. 
 " She knows I like the warmth, and then 
 think of the horrible damp air of those 
 lofty old rooms ! Nelly, tell her she is 
 to leave the window open." 
 
 The little girl ran off towards the 
 Castle, evidently glad to escape from the 
 oppressive silence and ennui. 
 
 " Which are my rooms, after all, 
 Army ? One gets lost among all that 
 crowd of windows.' 
 
 " Over there, cousin," he explained, 
 coming nearer her. " There on the 
 second floor. Your dressing-room is 
 next the tower."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 197 
 
 11 Oh, so that is the door which is so 
 artistically covered with green baize. I 
 could not make out whether it was a 
 wardrobe or a door that was hidden 
 behind those nailed-down folds. But," 
 she went on, " why did not they give me 
 the room in the tower? It must be 
 delightful with its great bow- window, 
 and I should have had a prospect all over 
 the country." 
 
 " I am very sorry, Blanche," said 
 Army. " The same idea occurred to 
 me, but Granny appears to have special 
 reasons " 
 
 " Eeally ? Is it haunted, do you 
 think ? " she interrupted with some 
 animation. 
 
 Army laughed. " No, I am afraid not, 
 cousin at least, I never heard of it. 
 If there were a ghost about, it must be 
 that of the Baron of Streitwitz who shot
 
 198 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 himself for the sake of your charming 
 prototype, so the chroniclers declare." 
 
 She took no notice of his last words. 
 
 "Army, I do wish you would manage 
 for me to have the room in the tower." 
 
 Her voice had a sweet supplicating 
 tone, like that of an imploring child. 
 
 "I will go and ask Granny again, 
 Blanche." 
 
 " But soon, Army ; you must go soon/' 
 cried she, smiling upon him. 
 
 He looked at her in delight. " Cer- 
 tainly, I will go directly," he stammered, 
 in a flutter of joyful surprise, for she had 
 not beamed on him so radiantly since her 
 arrival at the Castle. " Blanche," he 
 went on, " I am afraid that you are feel- 
 ing terribly bored here " and the smile 
 vanished from his face. 
 
 " Oh, pray," she said, raising her hand, 
 " don't pronounce the word, don't let us
 
 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 199 
 
 think of it. Tell me something interest- 
 ing, to amuse me until it is time to go 
 and dress for dinner. What is there to 
 dress for here ? " she added, with a shrug 
 of her delicate shoulders. "Tell me," 
 she cried, leaning hack and rocking to 
 and fro in her chair again, " who is that 
 young girl to whom your grandmamma 
 don't be offended was so abominably 
 rude just now." 
 
 " Fraulein Lizzie Erving." 
 
 " I know that, but who and what is 
 her father? She spoke of their car- 
 riage ..." 
 
 " Her father is the richest man here- 
 abouts, Blanche ; the owner of some 
 paper-works hence Granny's malicious 
 allusion to the rags the owner also of 
 extensive forests in which we shah 1 be 
 able to take many a ramble, for they 
 reach to our park gates."
 
 200 -LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "And why has my great-aunt such a 
 dislike to the girl ? " 
 
 " Ah, Blanche, Granny does not trouble 
 herself about the why and wherefore. 
 She has always had a most inexplicable 
 aversion to this young Lizzie ; besides 
 which, it annoys her that Nelly and she 
 should be so intimate. Granny has a 
 great idea of rank and its obligations, 
 you know. After all, she is not alto- 
 gether wrong." 
 
 Blanche shook her head. " Do you 
 know, Armand, there is quite an old- 
 world atmosphere about this place. All 
 these prejudices are rapidly dying out 
 in our days. Oh, a letter," she broke 
 off, hastily taking an elegant square 
 envelope from a tray presented to her 
 by old Henry, who forthwith withdrew 
 noiselessly as he had come. 
 
 "From Leonie," she said to herself,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 201 
 
 tearing open the letter, and beginning to 
 read. For one moment a deep flush 
 overspread her face, then it grew white, 
 white as the dress she wore. The paper 
 shook in her trembling hands. Suddenly 
 she laughed out loud, an unmusical, un- 
 canny laugh which startled the young 
 officer opposite. " Well, this is amusing," 
 she cried, crushing up the paper into a 
 ball. "Now, this just furnishes a proof 
 of what I was saying to you, Army. The 
 world is by no means so exclusive in its 
 notions as your grandmamma. Leonie von 
 Hammerstein writes me word that Count 
 Secbach has got engaged to a Fraulein 
 something or other, the daughter of an 
 Inspector of Forests. He is madly 
 enamoured, it appears; is marrying for 
 love, as Leonie expresses it do you 
 hear, Army, marrying for love ! " She 
 laughed, but her black eyes glittered,
 
 202 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 and seemed almost to emit fiery sparks, 
 while her little hands were busy, tearing 
 the paper into a thousand fragments. 
 
 " What, that Count von Secbach who 
 danced with you so often last winter, 
 who fairly showered bouquets on you?" 
 asked Armand. He spoke eagerly, and 
 his eyes were fixed with a keen scruti- 
 nising gaze on his cousin's agitated face. 
 
 "Did he dance with me? Eeally, I 
 hardly remember," she replied carelessly, 
 looking away into the verdant leafy 
 labyrinth of the trees and shrubs but 
 there was a nervous quiver of the delicate 
 nostrils which betrayed some hidden 
 feeling. " Yes, the world is progressing 
 rapidly. To think that a proud man like 
 Secbach, who but a little while ago was 
 boasting of his spotless genealogy, should 
 fall in love ah, ah, Army, it is absurd, 
 is it not ? should fall in love with a
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 203 
 
 plebeian damsel and raise her to the 
 position of his wife ! " She shook her 
 head scornfully, and again a short, un- 
 natural laugh escaped her lips. Then 
 she rose so abruptly that the elegant 
 ivory fan suspended by a silver chain 
 from her waist rattled against the mas- 
 sive table. " I am horribly tired," she 
 said, laying her small white hand over 
 her eyes, as though the sunlight dazzled 
 her. "I am not accustomed to remain 
 so long in the open air ; it will be better 
 for me to go and rest a little while that 
 I may be fresh again at dinner-time. 
 Addio, my cousin." 
 
 She nodded to him, declining his com- 
 pany by a significant gesture of the 
 hand, and walked away over the open 
 space before the Castle. It almost 
 seemed as if the light figure were borne 
 along by invisible wings, as if the golden
 
 204 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 veil, which depended from her small 
 head, might at any moment spread and 
 carry her aloft, so airy and sylph-like 
 was her whole appearance. At the small 
 door which gave entrance to the tower, 
 she stopped, and turned again; then a 
 clear silver ripple of laughter reached 
 Army's ears. How different in sound 
 from the harsh, spasmodic laugh he had 
 heard just before ! What a strange 
 enigmatic creature she was ! When 
 would it be his right to solve the 
 enigma ? 
 
 At dinner the young lady appeared in 
 a brilliant toilette. She wore a costume 
 of pale green silk, which gleamed softly 
 through a white over-dress of some airy, 
 light texture. Her wonderful hair was 
 gathered together, and fastened at the 
 back with an ivory comb, and her deli- 
 cate wrist was encircled by a broad band
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 205 
 
 of dead gold on which sparkled a mag- 
 nificent emerald. The apathetic calm, 
 which had given to her features so cold 
 and listless an expression, had altogether 
 vanished. Blanche had a pleasant smile 
 for every one now, and the old Baroness 
 directed many a gratified, approving 
 glance towards the young pair seated 
 opposite her. It was long since such 
 merry tinkling of glasses had been heard 
 in the cool spacious dining-room, very 
 long since Henry had uncorked one of 
 those carefully-kept, silver-necked bottles, 
 the contents of which were so highly 
 esteemed by the Dowager. To-day, in 
 honour of the occasion, the bubbling 
 wine frothed once again in the tall 
 slender glasses. Henry bore in the 
 various courses with the grand dignified 
 air habitual to him ; keeping an observing 
 eye the while on the small party assem-
 
 206 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 bled round the dinner-table, and more 
 especially on the beautiful young lady, 
 who sat at his master's side. Had not 
 her maid declared that, for a certainty, 
 she would one day.be enormously rich, 
 and that she could count as many suitors 
 as she had ringers on her hands ? Old 
 Sanna beamed with delight, for her 
 mistress had on several occasions given 
 her hints of how matters stood, and she 
 was rejoicing in anticipation over the 
 prosperous days which were in store for 
 her lady. The bright-haired stranger's 
 merry laugh resounding through the 
 lofty chamber was full of happy augury, 
 and the young officer at her side felt his 
 heart beat violently as he met her radiant 
 eyes, or as her soft breath fanned his 
 cheek. 
 
 But Nelly, what ailed little Nelly? 
 She to whom her brother's will was wont
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 207 
 
 to be as law, who always declared herself 
 on his side, let him say or do what he 
 might, who was ever ready to read in 
 his eyes the slightest expression of his 
 wishes this docile, pliable Nelly now 
 manifested towards her cousin a cool 
 indifference which almost bordered on 
 rudeness. She seemed to take no notice 
 of what was going on. The rosy mouth, 
 usually so prone to laughter, remained 
 severely set and closed to-day, and she 
 only looked up now and then to cast a 
 shy glance at the happy countenance of 
 her brother opposite, who never wearied 
 in his attentions to his fair neighbour. 
 Again and again a pale face rose before 
 her; she could see great tears standing 
 in the sweet blue eyes. What had they 
 done to Lizzie, to her Lizzie ? No, she 
 would not bear it she would go down 
 to the Mill, and find out who had insulted 
 her friend.
 
 208 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 It was quite dark when Nelly came 
 out of the little bedroom where she and 
 Lizzie had been having a long talk in the 
 twilight. 
 
 "Nothing of any consequence, Nelly," 
 Lizzie's soft voice repeated for the 
 hundredth time. " It was very foolish 
 of me to take offence at a trifle which 
 really is not worth speaking of. Come 
 now, I will go with you part of the way." 
 
 So they walked together over the foot- 
 bridge, and in the deep shade of the trees 
 along the familiar road. It was a warm 
 evening. Not a breath stirred. On the 
 horizon a dark threatening mass of cloud 
 had gathered, and from time to time a 
 blaze of sheet-lightning would come, 
 illumining the country with its pale, 
 weird gleam. The nightingales trilled 
 in every bush, and from afar sounded 
 the chanting voices of young holiday-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 209 
 
 makers who were giving vent in song 
 to the exuberant gaiety of their hearts. 
 
 " I don't know what it is," began 
 Lizzie, drawing a deep breath, " but I 
 feel to-night as if I were being stifled. 
 The air is so heavy and sultry. I think 
 Aunty is right, and we shall have a 
 storm." 
 
 Nelly nodded. 
 
 " Mother was complaining, too, that 
 she could not breathe," continued Lizzie. 
 "Do you know, Nelly, Whitsuntide never 
 seemed sad to me before as it does this 
 year, and yet everything is just as it has 
 always been. I hope nothing dreadful 
 will happen, if the storm really does 
 break!" 
 
 They had reached the park-gates now. 
 Mechanically they still paced on along 
 the dusky avenue where the scent of the 
 lilacs and flowering alders was so strong 
 
 VOL. I. 14
 
 210 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 as to be almost stupefying. Lizzie put 
 her little hand to her aching temples. 
 Presently she felt a slight pressure on 
 her arm, and Nelly stopped. 
 
 " Lizzie, do listen. Was not that 
 Blanche's voice ? " 
 
 For a while all was silent. Then steps 
 were heard approaching, and through the 
 stillness the sweet clear tones of a 
 woman's voice were borne over to them. 
 
 " Army, my dear, dear Army ! " 
 
 How soft, how alluring, was the sound ! 
 The young girl posted so near the speaker 
 felt as though a sharp knife were sud- 
 denly plunged into her breast. Instinc- 
 tively she pressed her hand to her heart. 
 Now there came a whisper ; that was his 
 voice. How glad she was she could not 
 hear what he said ! Oh, if she had but 
 stayed at home ! 
 
 The rustle of skirts and the slow foot-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 211 
 
 falls caine nearer. She dropped her 
 friend's hand, and fled precipitately, 
 taking refuge behind the thick trunk of 
 a venerable lime. Yet, once secure in 
 her hiding-place, she bent forward again 
 and watched. Suddenly a vivid flash of 
 lightning rent the sky, and she distinctly 
 saw two figures the one, that of a fine, 
 tall man, and clinging to him, aerial and 
 light as a sylph, a graceful form she 
 recognized as that of the beautiful 
 stranger cousin Blanche. Her head was 
 thrown back, and as the swift light fell 
 on her features, he stooped and kissed 
 her. It was but a moment, but that 
 moment revealed all to the blue eyes 
 opposite. The girl laid her head against 
 the trunk of the old tree in an agony of 
 fierce pain of pain such as she had 
 never known before. But Nelly gave a 
 piercing little shriek, "Army, Army!"
 
 212 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 It was a warning, almost an accusatory 
 cry. And he answered her with such a 
 happy, jubilant ring in his voice, " Little 
 sister, where are you? Corne and see 
 what I have found. Come. You shall 
 run up first and tell Granny that luck 
 has come back to the old house once 
 more ; that Blanche is mine ! " Then 
 another vivid flash blazed through the 
 trees, and by its light a slender, girlish 
 figure could be discerned, hurrying at 
 full speed down the avenue homewards. 
 
 Little Nelly stood before the engaged 
 couple, and looked up at her brother with 
 wistful, apprehensive eyes. As the light 
 died out again, a great sob escaped her 
 breast, and with drooping head she 
 walked away on towards the Castle, to 
 bear to her mother the news that 
 Blanche and Army her darling Army 
 had pledged their faith to each other, 
 and would one day be man and wife.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 213 
 
 Old Aunty sat on the stone seat before 
 the door, waiting for her darling. The 
 master and his wife had gone into the 
 garden to seek fresh air, and Herr Sell- 
 dorf was with them, pacing up and down, 
 and talking much of his home, and his 
 brothers and sisters. 
 
 The old woman sat musing, and each 
 time a rapid yellow flash flamed through 
 the sultry air, she thought, " Oh, if only 
 Lily were safe at home again ! " " Dear, 
 oh, dear ! " she whispered to herself: " it 
 will he wet to-morrow, and the picnic 
 for the pastor's children will have to be 
 given up. Ah ! well, they must amuse 
 themselves here as best they can, and a 
 fine racket and scrimmage there'll be in 
 the old Mill. Let me see, how many 
 shall I have to dinner ? From the 
 parsonage alone there'll be eight, then 
 the Inspector and his wife, and . . .
 
 214 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Good Heavens ! " she screamed suddenly. 
 "Lizzie, how you have frightened me ! " 
 and she bent over the young girl who 
 had sunk down prone at her feet, and was 
 hiding her head in her lap. " What ails 
 you, my child? Lily, speak. What is 
 it?" she asked, stroking the little head, 
 " Great powers ahove ! " she went on, 
 " are you ill, my precious ? " 
 
 No answer came, hut the young head 
 was raised, two arms wound themselves 
 about her neck, and a pair of hot, quiver- 
 ing lips were pressed on her cheek. 
 Then the girl fled away into the house. 
 The old woman heard her fleet, light 
 step on the stairs, and next minute the 
 door of her bedroom was closed and 
 locked. 
 
 11 Strange child ! " she murmured, with 
 a shake of the head. But old Aunty did 
 not see her darling pacing to and fro in
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL* 215 
 
 the little chamber upstairs, restlessly, 
 unceasingly, until far into the night. 
 Then, at length, the weary head was 
 laid on a pillow wet with tears, the small 
 hands were fervently clasped, and a 
 prayer went up to Heaven, a prayer for 
 Army, with whom she had played as a 
 child, and who was nothing to her now. 
 Ah! was it not sad to think of? no- 
 thing in the world to her now.
 
 216 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 CHAPTEE VEIL 
 
 IT was late, very late that evening before 
 the family at the Castle sought their 
 accustomed rest. True, the young bride 
 retired to her room early. She felt so 
 bewildered still, she said ; it had all come 
 upon her so suddenly, so unexpectedly ! 
 She patiently accepted the flattering- 
 speeches which the Dowager, radiant 
 with joyful surprise, deigned to address to 
 her, lent a dutiful ear to the few agitated 
 words whispered by Armand's mother ; 
 but then weariness overcame her, and 
 she withdrew to her own room, pulling 
 the door hastily to as she entered. The
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 217 
 
 affable, artificial smile disappeared from 
 her face, and Sophy, the maid, passed a 
 trying hour in her mistress's company. 
 At length she sat at her writing-table, 
 wrapped in a long, flowing peignoir ; her 
 pen flew at full speed over the paper, 
 and the corners of her mouth worked 
 angrily, telling of pique and profound 
 mortification. 
 
 But downstairs in the parlour, the 
 mother took her boy in her arms, and, 
 looking into his eyes, which beamed with 
 a happy light, could only murmur, " My 
 dear, good son, may you be happy ! It 
 has all come about so quickly, Army, and 
 you are still so young. May God bless 
 and keep you, dear ! " 
 
 The old Baroness paused in her quick, 
 steady walk up and down the room, 
 halting in front of the group, as the 
 young man pressed a grateful kiss on
 
 218 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Ms mother's cheek. "Army," she began> 
 visibly impatient at the sentimental scene 
 before her, "you know what you have to 
 do now. You must go to your aunt at. 
 once, and propose for Blanche in due 
 form ; then I hope all the rest may 
 speedily be arranged. You will only 
 write to Blanche's father. I trust we 
 need not be brought into any closer 
 contact with that person ; in any 
 case ..." 
 
 "Certainly, Granny, I shall go," he 
 interrupted her, in a softened voice. 
 Then he went up to Nelly, who was 
 sitting huddled up in the great armchair, 
 hiding her face in her hands. "Little 
 one," he said, gently, "have not you a 
 kind word for me ? " 
 
 "Ah, Army," she sobbed, "I was so 
 startled, so dreadfully startled, when I 
 saw you down there with cousin Blanche ; 
 and it grieves me so that ..."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 219 1 
 
 " But, Nelly, this is a great piece of 
 good fortune for us all and I love her 
 so dearly! " 
 
 "Does she love you?" asked the- 
 young girl, eagerly taking his hands in 
 hers. " Are you sure of it ? " 
 
 " Why, darling, do you think she would 
 marry me else ? " he said, laughing. 
 " She who is. so beautiful, and who has- 
 all the world at her feet ? " 
 
 Nelly shook her head, and looked away 
 past her brother with tear-bedimmed eyes, 
 " I fancied it would be so different," she 
 whispered. 
 
 "You foolish little thing!" he said; 
 passing his hand tenderly over her curly 
 head. " But it is good, is not it, to ; 
 know that I am so happy ? " 
 
 She nodded through her tears, and 
 then quickly got up and left the room. 
 
 Just then the first rumble of thunder
 
 220 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 was heard outside, announcing the ap- 
 proaching storm. 
 
 "I think Nelly must be ill," said her 
 mother, apprehensively; "her hands are 
 so hot and feverish." 
 
 "Nonsense, she is naughty, that is 
 what she is sulking because, as she 
 thinks, her Lizzie was ill-treated to-day," 
 declared the old lady angrily. " I would 
 wager she has been down at the Mill 
 already, and has asked pardon for us of 
 the young simpleton there. It is absurd, 
 really." 
 
 " Oh, yes, she has been there. She 
 was coming back from thence, I think, 
 when we met her so unexpectedly in the 
 avenue. But, Granny, I must say you 
 were too severe on the poor girl. Blanche 
 thinks so too." 
 
 At this moment there came a dazzling 
 flash, followed by a fearful clap of 
 thunder.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 221 
 
 " Misericordid, what a storm ! " cried 
 the old Baroness, trembling, and for- 
 getting for a moment the sharp answer 
 that was on the tip of her tongue. " Is 
 Blanche afraid, I wonder ? " 
 
 Hardly had she spoken when the door 
 opened, and the young lady, robed in her 
 ample white cashmere dress, stood in 
 their midst. She held both hands to her 
 ears, and cast about her looks of terror. 
 "I am so afraid!" she said shivering, 
 and fled for a refuge to the great arm- 
 chair which Nelly had just vacated. 
 Armand hastened to her, gazed with 
 concern into her white face, and took 
 her cold little hands in his own. 
 
 " I would not live here always for any- 
 thing in the world ! " she went on, 
 with a defiant little stamp of her pretty 
 foot. 
 
 " Where would you think of living,
 
 222 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 then, my dear ? " asked the Dowager, 
 startled into attention. 
 
 " Where ? " repeated the young lady in 
 a tone of astonishment, totally forgetting 
 her fright for a moment. " Why, dear 
 grandmamma, you surely do not imagine 
 that Armand and I are going to bury 
 ourselves here ? No, Heaven forbid ! " 
 We shall go and travel first, and see a 
 little of the world, shall we not, Army ? 
 I have never been to any of the great 
 baths Ems, Baden-Baden, then Switzer- 
 land and Italy. Just fancy ! Italy, that 
 you were telling us so much about yester- 
 day ! And then, when we have seen 
 everything, we can look about for a place 
 that will suit us." Suddenly she ceased. 
 The fury of the storm broke forth anew, 
 almost making the old Castle rock on its 
 foundations. 
 
 Armand still stood beside his ainanced
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 223 
 
 wife, erect and silent, holding her hand 
 in his, and hearkening to the roll of the 
 thunder, as it died away in the distance. 
 But the old lady stepped up to the pair 
 with an expression of amazement, while 
 even her daughter-in-law had raised her- 
 self in her chair, and was listening an- 
 xiously to the careless, matter-of-fact 
 chatter of that small red mouth. 
 
 "We shall have to live where Aunt 
 Stontheim pleases, Blanche," said the 
 young man at length, quietly. 
 
 " Never, never! " she replied with ani- 
 mation. " I will not be buried in this 
 old Castle. I am young still, and I don't 
 want to be fettered, but to enjoy life a 
 little. Army, you will take my part. 
 Live here ? No, that I declare I will 
 not. Aunt is too reasonable ; she will 
 not exact that of me, I am sure," she 
 added, with conviction.
 
 224 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Of course, Blanche, we shall travel," 
 he assured her; "but as to our fixed 
 residence, that is a point for aunt to 
 decide." 
 
 " And if she chooses Derenberg, I 
 shan't coine. No, most decidedly, I shall 
 not come. It is so dreary here. I should 
 die in this lonely place." 
 
 " And you would let me stay here all 
 alone ? " asked Armand in a low voice, 
 bending down to look into her eyes. He 
 said it jestingly, but there was a certain 
 anxiety in his accent. "Did you not 
 own to me but a little while ago, out 
 yonder under the trees, that you could 
 
 only be happy where where " His 
 
 voice sank to a whisper. 
 
 A violent shake of the little golden 
 head was his answer. " No, no," she 
 cried presently, " I did not mean that. 
 I can't give up every bit of my freedom.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 225 
 
 It would be the death of me, if I had to 
 wander day after day through these great 
 cold corridors, to look out on that dismal 
 park." 
 
 ''But if your future husband should 
 desire you to remain here ? " asked the 
 old lady with quick- com ing breath, her 
 delicate hands clutching convulsively at 
 the folds of her dress. 
 
 " He will not desire it," cried Blanche f 
 passionately, springing up from her chair. 
 The lovely face wore an almost menacing 
 expression, and the little foot was firmly 
 planted on the old parqueted floor. There 
 was no trace now in her bearing of that 
 sweet yielding love with which she had 
 clung to her cousin's arm under the 
 dusky trees. Obstinacy in its ugliest 
 form was suddenly brought to view, and 
 the very tone of her voice was sharp and 
 dissonant, as she went on. " It is absurd, 
 
 VOL. I. 15
 
 226 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 perfectly absurd, to picture a wife as a 
 slave, and to say to her ' wherever your 
 husband may feel at his ease, you must 
 of necessity be comfortable and happy 
 too. If you are not, well, so much the 
 worse for you ! ' Army cannot think of 
 taking this course with me. I promised 
 I would be his, and now it all depends 
 upon him whether I am to be satisfied 
 and contented with him or not. One 
 thing is certain, here I cannot and will 
 not stay." 
 
 " Blanche ! " he exclaimed, his fine 
 eyes resting with almost a scared look on 
 the young creature who had so lately 
 pledged herself to him with many en- 
 dearing words and soft blandishments of 
 love ; " Blanche, I do beg of you, say no 
 more. You are excited to-night. You 
 have been alarmed and overwrought." 
 He rang the bell as he spoke, and led
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 her back to her seat. " A glass of water," 
 he ordered, as Henry came in. 
 
 But his grandmother stood staring in 
 petrified astonishment at the youthful 
 bride elect. What ! that silly child was 
 to disperse and destroy with a breath all 
 her cherished plans. In the future, as in 
 the past, she was to live on in banish- 
 ment and solitude. She was not to sun 
 herself in the rays of the coming pros- 
 perity, not to see about her the bright- 
 ness and gaiety born of the opulence for 
 which she had so long yearned ! The 
 Dowager sank on to a chair in a sort of 
 stupor, and with knitted brows watched 
 the tall form of the young officer, as he 
 took the glass of water from the servant, 
 and carried it to his promised bride. 
 
 Out of doors the rain was now descend- 
 ing in torrents ; a faint flash would occa- 
 sionally zigzag across the windows, but
 
 228 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 the roar of the thunder grew duller and 
 less, already passing away in the distance. 
 
 Suddenly a low cry was heard from the 
 adjoining room. 
 
 " Nelly!" exclaimed the younger 
 Baroness, and hurried through the door 
 of communication. " Child, what ails 
 you ? " she cried anxiously, and going up 
 to the sofa where Nelly was lying, she 
 laid her hand on the girl's burning brow. 
 
 " Oh, she is horrible, mamma, hor- 
 rible ! " sobbed the little sister. " My 
 Army, my dear good Army ! She does 
 not care for him, mamma. Believe what 
 I say, she does not care a bit for him." 
 
 " Do not distress yourself, my pet," 
 said her mother, reassuringly. " She is 
 only a little capricious, it will all come 
 right in the end." 
 
 " No, no, mamma. Directly I saw her, 
 T thought of the old chronicle, and the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 229 
 
 verse about the red hair. I can't get it 
 out of my mind. Oh, how I wish she 
 would go away this very evening, and 
 never, never come back ! " 
 
 With countless caresses and loving 
 words the mother strove to soothe and 
 calm the excited girl. Her own heart 
 misgave her so keenly ! The pale lady's 
 head drooped, and great tears welled into 
 her eyes. 
 
 Nelly, so comforted, fell asleep at last. 
 It was a restless, uneasy sleep, yet the 
 wan, careworn watcher at her side rose 
 and left her little daughter alone. She 
 was thinking of her other child, her 
 Army. Cautiously she put her head out 
 of the door, and looked around. The old 
 lady and the beautiful niece were gone, 
 but yonder in that deep embrasure, he 
 was still- standing, he, her darling, gazing 
 out into the dark night. "Army," she
 
 230 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 said, in a low voice. He turned and 
 looked at her inquiringly. She said not 
 another word, but her eyes rested with an 
 anxious scrutiny on his proud, handsome 
 face. He took her hand, and raised it to 
 his lips. 
 
 "You may be quite easy, mother," he 
 said hastily, but his voice was not quite 
 as steady as usual. " She is a spoilt child, 
 a sadly spoilt child, but she is fond of me. 
 I know it, I am sure of it, and she will 
 alter. She is sorry already for having 
 spoken with so much heat." 
 
 The mother repressed her rising tears, 
 and passed her hand affectionately over 
 his brow. " Good-night, Army," she 
 whispered, and turned quickly away. 
 
 " Good-night, mother," he replied, with 
 a loving kiss. " Have no fear for me." 
 
 A fortnight had elapsed since that 
 eventful Whit- Sunday. Rain and tern-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 231 
 
 pests had stripped the trees and shrubs of 
 all their wealth of blossom, which now 
 strewed the earth like a layer of fresh 
 snow. To make up for this, however, the 
 roses in the Mill garden had blazed forth 
 in all their splendour, and the limes in 
 the old park avenue were fairly clothed 
 in bloom. Very often in these latter 
 days had Lizzie travelled this road which 
 she had not thought so soon to tread 
 again. Nelly had fallen ill in right 
 earnest, and at her request old Henry was 
 sent to the Mill to summon her friend to 
 her sick bed. So Lizzie had sat for hours 
 in the lofty, dimly-lighted room, holding 
 her feverish hand in her own. 
 
 The message which summoned her to 
 the Castle had arrived at the Mill just 
 when the "racket and scrimmage" fore- 
 told by old Aunty, was at its height. The 
 pastor's whole family, and the Inspector
 
 232 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 of Forests, with his wife, had put in an 
 appearance at the appointed hour, and 
 Lizzie needed to have all her wits about 
 her. 
 
 She had to exert herself and play with 
 the children in the old accustomed 
 manner, and on this occasion she was 
 glad to find an ally in young Herr Sell- 
 dorf. Then Henry had arrived with his 
 disquieting news, and Lizzie had only 
 waited a moment to ask for permission to 
 go. This was promptly granted, unwill- 
 ing as all present were to see her depart 
 from their merry midst. " Cousin Lizzie, 
 come back soon. Good-bye, Cousin 
 Lizzie," called the small banditti after 
 her, flattening their noses against the 
 window panes. But behind the curtain 
 stood a young man with light curly hair 
 and clear honest eyes, watching the 
 slender figure with the umbrella, as it
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 233 
 
 crossed the foot-bridge and turned into 
 the forest path, and an expression of dis- 
 appointment and vexation settled on his 
 good-looking face. What had this long- 
 expected, much-desired Whit-Monday 
 brought after all ? Instead of the picnic 
 in the woods, wet weather and a forced 
 sojourn indoors. Instead of earnest gaz- 
 ing into sweet blue een, the teasing, 
 tormenting sport of these wild youngsters, 
 who had already adopted Selldorf as one 
 of the family, and bestowed on him the 
 title of " uncle." 
 
 Divers events had befallen at the 
 Castle during the course of this fortnight. 
 Armand had paid a flying visit to his Aunt 
 Stontheim, and had brought back with 
 him, not only that lady's consent to the 
 engagement, but a delightful little car- 
 riage for the use of his beloved. A 
 friendly letter had been received from
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Blanche's father, so that the paternal 
 blessing was not wanting to the affianced 
 pair. 
 
 The bride- elect was amiability itself 
 once more. She had voluntarily ex- 
 pressed regret for having spoken with so 
 much heat on the night of her betrothal ; 
 the fact was, a storm always upset her, 
 and tried her nerves so terribly ! As to 
 Armand well, he was the happiest lover 
 on the face of the earth, so thought Lizzie 
 at least. He came frequently into the 
 dim sick chamber to say a kind word to 
 his sister, and his face wore such a radiant 
 look of pride and happiness, as he bent 
 over the patient, and gave her a kiss and 
 a message " from Blanche ! " That 
 young lady had only shown herself once 
 at her cousin's bedside. The bright ap- 
 parition with the rustling train and 
 shining hair had seemed out of place
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 235 
 
 there, and the invalid had been greatly 
 excited hy the visit. " How did she 
 feel ? " Blanche had asked hastily, " and 
 when would she he ahle to get up again?" 
 Then she had talked in a lively manner 
 of the excursions she was daily making,, 
 and of the preparations for her wedding. 
 No sooner had she rustled out of the 
 room than poor Nelly broke into a flood 
 of tears. 
 
 " Oh, I hope she won't come back for 
 ever so long!" she wailed. "The air 
 seems so hot and close when she is by,, 
 and the scent she has upon her makes my 
 head ache." 
 
 Of Lizzie, Blanche had taken no notice 
 whatever, though she saw her slender 
 figure standing carefully on guard by the 
 bedside. The grandmother never entered 
 the sick room while Lizzie was there r 
 and Sanna grumbled something about
 
 236 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 obstinacy, and that she knew how to 
 nurse quite as well as that silly thing 
 from the Mill. " It was just a whim of 
 the young Baroness's, nothing more." 
 
 At length the illness wore itself out. A 
 turn for the better came. The curtains 
 of the sick-room were thrown back, the 
 windows opened, and the young girl lay 
 on the sofa, inhaling with satisfaction the 
 pure air from the forests which stole in 
 so softly and refreshingly. Her grateful 
 eyes were fixed on Lizzie, who was sitting 
 by her side, chatting with her. The two 
 girls were quite alone, for a visitor had 
 not long before arrived at the Castle. 
 Blanche's father so Nelly informed her 
 friend in a whisper had come on an 
 errand from Aunt Stontheim, to talk 
 matters over with Grandmamma and 
 Army. " I am right-down glad I 
 need not be there," she added, " for
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 237 
 
 Grandmamma lias looked as black as 
 thunder ever since the letter came an- 
 nouncing uncle's visit. But Lizzie dear," 
 she added anxiously, "you are looking 
 so pale, so pale ! I am sure you have 
 over-exerted yourself, nursing and taking 
 care of me." 
 
 The young girl blushed and evaded her 
 friend's remark. Just then the sound of 
 voices and the tramp of horses' hoofs 
 were heard outside. " Ah, they are re- 
 turning from their ride," said Nelly; 
 " come here, Lizzie, let us have a look at 
 them." She rose with a little effort, and 
 walked over to the window. Down below, 
 in the open space before the Castle, 
 the whole family appeared assembled. 
 Blanche was still in the saddle. She 
 wore a black habit, and a saucy little hat 
 with a long black feather set jauntily on 
 her small head. Her hair was drawn
 
 238 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 back and gathered together in great puffs 
 at the back, instead of floating loosely as 
 usual. Her horse was restless, but she 
 sat in a perfectly assured and easy atti- 
 tude, and patted the beautiful animal's 
 neck caressingly with her gloved hand. 
 Armand had already sprung from the 
 sorrel's back ; he was standing before his 
 cousin, ready to help her dismount, and 
 was looking over towards his future 
 father-in-law, who came slowly on be- 
 tween the two ladies. This gentleman, a 
 short, corpulent personage, appeared, as 
 Lizzie noted, to be strenuously asserting 
 some combated opinion ; he was gesticu- 
 lating, and speaking with much animation. 
 Nelly's mother looked up at the win- 
 dow where the two girls were standing. 
 She nodded to them kindly, and the eyes 
 of her companions turned naturally in the 
 same direction. The elder lady looked
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 239 
 
 away again indifferently at once ; but the 
 Colonel stopped, lifted his hat, and smiled 
 up to the young people. Then they 
 heard him inquiring about Lizzie, but the 
 answer to his question did not reach them. 
 
 Meanwhile Blanche had dismounted, 
 and Lizzie led her friend back to the 
 sofa. Soon afterwards the sounds of 
 voices close at hand told them that the 
 party had come upstairs into the next 
 room. Lizzie took up a book, and was 
 just going to begin reading from the 
 place where she had left off, when the 
 chairs in the adjoining salon were moved 
 rather noisily, and the old gentleman's 
 voice, raised to a louder key, became 
 distinctly audible through the tall folding- 
 doors. 
 
 " I am very sorry that the arrangement 
 appears to be so little to your taste, my 
 lady, nevertheless ..."
 
 240 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " It seems, on the other hand, to suit 
 your views admirably, Colonel," inter- 
 rupted the old Baroness in her acerb 
 tones. 
 
 "Excuse me, I come here as an 
 ambassador from Countess Stontheim, 
 and I have already given you to under- 
 stand that I shall not mix myself up in 
 the business. I cannot, however, deny 
 that the plan proposed appears to me by 
 far the most sensible one." His manner 
 betrayed a certain irritation. 
 
 " That is a matter of opinion, my dear 
 sir." 
 
 " No doubt. You must, however, con- 
 fess that Armand is too young and too 
 inexperienced to make a way for himself 
 out of the confusion worse confounded 
 in which the Derenberg affairs appear, 
 unfortunately, to be involved. It will 
 be the work of a very, very able agri-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 241 
 
 culturist to raise the deteriorated estates 
 to their former value, supposing, indeed, 
 that there is a possibility of regaining 
 possession of them. The forests, now 
 Countess Stontheim was talking these 
 matters over with the lawyer Hellwig 
 the forests are as good as lost. The 
 present owner what is his name? you 
 must know it some manufacturer fellow 
 here in the neighbourhood the pre- 
 sent owner will not part with the forests 
 on any terms, so the forests are gone 
 for ever, and what is a place like this 
 without timber ? " 
 
 " Erving will not part with the forests ? " 
 cried the old lady; "ah, ah, you little 
 know the man. With such people, all 
 depends upon how much you offer them. 
 For a very moderate profit these trades- 
 folk would sell their souls. No, no, my 
 dear Colonel, that is an absurd idea, of 
 
 VOL. I. 16
 
 242 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 which I should not have supposed you 
 capable. I would wager anything Offer 
 him so much more, and the woods are 
 yours." 
 
 " You would lose the wager, my lady. 
 Hellwig, acting by Madame von Ston- 
 theim's instructions, has privately made 
 overtures on the subject, and has received 
 a most decided answer in the negative. 
 Besides ..." 
 
 A loud laugh from the old lady inter- 
 rupted him. 
 
 "It is possible, after all, that you may 
 be right, Derenberg," said she ; "for 
 this parvenu, after the manner of his 
 kind, hates the nobility in general and 
 us in particular. Plebaglio ! " she added 
 contemptuously, in her native tongue. 
 
 " Besides," repeated the Colonel, rais- 
 ing his voice considerably then, restrain- 
 ing himself, he paused^ and added politely,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 243 
 
 " I beg pardon, Baroness, it matters very 
 little to me what attitude you may have 
 assumed towards this man. That will 
 not alter the business one jot. I was 
 merely going to remark that, as re- 
 gards the estates themselves and the 
 farms let off, the family affairs have 
 proved to be in a state of chaos Jews, 
 money-lenders, rights of pre-emption, 
 first, second, third, fourth mortgages, 
 and I don't know what else. In short, 
 Countess Stontheim prefers to have 
 nothing to do with all these intricate 
 matters, a settlement of which could only 
 be obtained at an enormous sacrifice. 
 She wishes, as I have this day had the 
 honour of explaining to you, that Armand 
 should remain in the service after his 
 marriage, which is fixed for the autumn. 
 She undertakes to provide the young 
 couple with ample means. Later on,
 
 244 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 should Army feel disposed to settle down 
 as a landowner and country gentleman, 
 she would buy a place for them where 
 they would find all in order on going in, 
 and start fair. Castle Derenberg will 
 always be a delightful summer retreat 
 for the young people, and Arm and will at 
 any rate retain possession of the house 
 which bears the family name. What do 
 you say, Army? You are not sorry to 
 wear your epaulets a little longer, are 
 you ? " 
 
 " Of course, I must submit, uncle," 
 the young man answered; " but I cannot 
 deny that it is hard for me to give up 
 the thought of living at Castle Deren- 
 berg. It has always been my most 
 cherished project." 
 
 " But not mine," interpolated Blanche, 
 hastily. "I. am quite of Aunt Ston- 
 theim's opinion. I said so not long ago."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 245 
 
 " You do not understand, Blanche," 
 replied Armand, and there was a quiver 
 in his deep voice as he spoke. " You 
 do not know the magic an old house, 
 such as this, exerts on those who grow 
 up within its walls. You cannot know 
 it, for the proud feeling of setting foot 
 over your own threshold has never yet 
 been yours. No old walls, no deserted 
 rooms, no ancient trees, have spoken to 
 you of the bygone times when our ances- 
 tors dwelt and worked out their lives 
 here. It was my dearest dream to settle 
 down in this place where my forefathers, 
 in one unbroken line, have lived and 
 died ; and the non-fulfilment of this 
 dream will be very grievous to me, very 
 grievous, dear, believe me." 
 
 " Good gracious," exclaimed the young 
 lady. " Why, he is positively growing 
 sentimental! The smallest villa on the
 
 246 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 cheerful boulevard of our city seems to 
 me a thousand times more attractive 
 than this dreaiy, deserted ..." 
 
 " Whist, child ! " broke in the Colonel, 
 conciliatingly. " Every man to his taste. 
 You, Blanche, are just as dependent on 
 your Aunt Stontheim's will as Armand 
 is. Whatever she decides, must be done. 
 There is no gainsaying that fact, and I 
 think it would be as well for us now to 
 let the matter drop, and dispute no 
 longer." 
 
 * ' A very wise remark of yours, Colonel ; ' ' 
 here the old lady put in her say. " How 
 hard such dependence is to bear can, 
 however, only be appreciated by those 
 who have once been in a position to 
 command. You do not feel this, never 
 having stood as master on your own land. 
 You were, so to speak, bred to depen- 
 dence, and in such circumstances it is,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 247 
 
 of course, easy to preach peace and calm- 
 ness to other people. I think it most 
 extraordinary of my lady Stontheim. 
 She has the means, and she will not help. 
 Armand is to be tied to his profession 
 for the absurd and far-fetched reason that 
 he is too young to manage his own 
 affairs as though older and more ex- 
 perienced persons were not at hand to 
 counsel and help him." 
 
 "You, for instance, my lady?" The 
 officer laughed outright. " Not a bad 
 idea, upon my word. A talent for the 
 manipulation of finances cannot be denied 
 you. You were unlucky in your specula- 
 tions, it is true ; but then who can help 
 that ? " 
 
 " You are just as incorrigibly satirical 
 as in the old days, Colonel, when I had 
 the pleasure of seeing you here occasion- 
 ally. In this case, however, -your darts
 
 248 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 do not strike home, for we were, really 
 and truly, pursued by a vein of ill-luck." 
 
 " Unmerited ill-luck, of course," as- 
 sented the Colonel, with ironical em- 
 phasis. 
 
 " Uncle, I beg of you, let us desist. 
 This conversation is distressing to my 
 mother," said Armand. 
 
 " And, my lad," went on the elder 
 man, quite undisturbed, and speaking 
 impressively, "just to prevent any repe- 
 tition of this unmerited ill-fortune, pre- 
 cisely for this reason, Countess Stontheiin 
 desires that you should not spend the 
 first years of your married life here ^not 
 here, of all places, you understand? I 
 ask pardon for having to speak so plainly. 
 I would willingly have avoided it . . ." 
 
 " I understand," said the old lady, 
 coldly. " Countess Stontheim is still 
 possessed by the unfortunate idea that
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 249 
 
 I alone was to blame for the ruin of 
 the whole family. She reproached me 
 with it roundly once, when poverty and 
 trouble first came upon us. Some one 
 must have been to blame," she con- 
 tinued, with a bitter laugh ; " and as 
 I, from the beginning, had been looked 
 on as an intruder, as the foreigner the 
 Italian had always been an object of 
 dislike to them it was easy to roll the 
 burden on to my shoulders. Va bene, 
 you tell me nothing new, my gaUant 
 Colonel. I only regret that one so 
 so ..." She broke off, suppressing 
 some cutting observation which was 
 evidently on the tip of her tongue. 
 
 The Colonel made no reply. 
 
 " Uncle," said Armand hastily, " what 
 is the meaning of all this ? Aunt cannot 
 possibly maintain that my grand- 
 mother .
 
 250 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Say no more," cried the old lady; 
 and then the sound of castors was heard, 
 as of a chair pushed hastily back on the 
 uncarpeted floor. 
 
 Lizzie and her friend sat in breathless 
 excitement, holding each other's hands. 
 When the former heard her father's name 
 pronounced, she sprang up and looked 
 helplessly about her for a way of escape ; 
 but there was no issue, save through the 
 very room where their good name had 
 been so venomously, as it seemed to 
 her, so shamefully, aspersed. The young 
 girl pressed with all the force and.weight 
 of her slender body against a tall, locked 
 door which closed a series of empty 
 apartments. 
 
 "How shall I get away?" she whis- 
 pered to her friend, in her distress. 
 
 " Stay here, Lizzie/' implored Nelly, 
 drawing her back; "they cannot know
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 251 
 
 that we hear everything so distinctly. 
 No, do not cry," she supplicated. " Oh, 
 if I w^re only well, and a man like Army, 
 would not I tell them my mind, if they 
 dared to speak ill of you ! " She clenched 
 her little hand fiercely. 
 
 They could still hear the old lady 
 pacing up and down in the adjoining 
 room. When her steps approached the 
 door of communication, Lizzie started up 
 again, and looked wildly about for some 
 corner where she could hide from her 
 enemy. 
 
 Presently Blanche's voice was heard; 
 coaxing and musically sweet were its soft 
 tones now. 
 
 " Dear, darling Grandmamma, I have 
 a favour to ask of you. I had commis- 
 sioned Army to make the request, but 
 he seems to have forgotten all about it, 
 the good-for-nothing fellow ! Ah ! yes,
 
 252 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 you may well put on that surprised look," 
 she went on archly. " Your lover never 
 behaved so to you, Granny, when you 
 were engaged, did he ? He used to read 
 all your wishes in your great beautiful 
 eyes, I am sure." 
 
 The concluding words of this exordium 
 were more distinct than the first. Evi- 
 dently the lovely bride-elect was now 
 standing close to the old lady by the 
 door. 
 
 " Now she is putting her arms round 
 Grandmamma's neck, just like a cat," 
 whispered Nelly. " Oh, you would not 
 believe how she can beg and flatter and 
 
 coax.' ; 
 
 "Well?" this from the old lady's 
 sterner lips. 
 
 " I charged Army to beg that I might 
 have the use of the turret-chamber, which 
 js next my room. Oh, do, Grandmamma, 
 do let me have it, amatissima mia."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 253 
 
 " It was very sensible of Armand not 
 to come to me with any such request. 
 I have refused him this thing once, and 
 I cannot now comply with your wish, my 
 dear." 
 
 "Why not?" demanded Blanche, in 
 an altered tone. 
 
 "You must allow me to keep my 
 reasons to myself." 
 
 " Do not tease, Blanche, do you 
 hear?" the Colonel interfered. "Old 
 castles have their secrets, many of which, 
 I dare say, one would not care to see 
 raked up." 
 
 At this moment the door was thrown 
 open, and suddenly the old lady appeared 
 on the threshold, confronting the two 
 girls. 
 
 Lizzie sprang from her seat ; she no 
 longer sought to fly, however, hut stood 
 motionless. The sunset glow suffusing
 
 254 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 the sky cast a warm light on the window, 
 weaving round the girl's charming figure 
 an aureole of rosy rays. 
 
 The old Baroness started back as 
 though she had seen a ghost, and 
 stretched forth both hands, warding it 
 from her, as it were. " Dio mio I " she 
 cried, with a little stamp of her foot. 
 ''It is most extraordinary ! Do you 
 come here on purpose to frighten me ? " 
 
 "I am sorry, my lady, that I always 
 have the misfortune , . ." 
 
 " It is strange, certainly, how the sight 
 of so fair an apparition can occasion 
 fright," said the Colonel. He had 
 stepped into the doorway, and was 
 looking admiringly at the young girl. 
 " May I beg your ladyship to introduce 
 me?" 
 
 The Baroness shrugged her shoulders, 
 cast an almost pitying glance at the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 255 
 
 old gentleman, and walked up to the 
 window. 
 
 " Well, then, I must introduce myself, 
 Fraulein Colonel von Derenberg," he 
 said, affably. 
 
 " This is my friend, uncle Lizzie 
 Erving." Nelly completed the intro- 
 duction. 
 
 The young girl bowed slightly. 
 
 " Erving?" repeated the Colonel, in- 
 quiringly. 
 
 " The daughter of the present owner 
 of the Derenberg forests, uncle," declared 
 Nelly, her eyes resting full upon his 
 rather flushed face. 
 
 " Ah ! indeed," he replied, " I thought 
 the name was familiar to me. Your 
 father is a sportsman, no doubt, a lover 
 of the noble pastime ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir; and besides that, he has 
 need of a great deal of wood for his 
 paper- works."
 
 256 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " Ah ! so your father owns some paper- 
 works ? But wood ? I thought the best 
 paper was generally made from rags." 
 
 An arch smile stole over Lizzie's face. 
 " Certainly, Colonel. That is why our 
 house is known in all the country round 
 as * the rag-mill,' my father as ' the rag- 
 miller,' and I as ' the rag-miller's Lizzie ! ' ' 
 Her eyes danced with merriment now, 
 and a laugh spread all over her lovely 
 face. 
 
 " The rag-miller's Lizzie ! " repeated 
 the Colonel, smiling in his turn, and 
 looking at her with evident enjoyment 
 of her humour. " That, I must say, is a 
 name which seems to me but ill suited 
 to you." 
 
 "I like it," she said. "Every child 
 in the village knows me by it. The 
 daughters of our house have always borne 
 that nickname. It has always been the
 
 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 257 
 
 rag-miller's Gretchen, or Minnie, or 
 Lisette." She stopped in some alarm 
 when she had unintentionally pronounced 
 this name, and looked shyly over at the 
 old lady, who turned quickly from her 
 post at the window, as though an adder 
 had stung her. 
 
 " Lisette," she repeated. "You have 
 mentioned a name of which you have no 
 just cause to be proud. Your Lisette 
 was a light-minded damsel, who brought 
 much sorrow on her parents." 
 
 " The memory of my great-aunt Lisette 
 is sacred to me," replied the girl, calm 
 still, to all appearance. " She was not 
 light-minded ; she was only most un- 
 happy, and that, as I have been told, not 
 through any fault of her own, your lady- 
 ship." Her lips quivered with emotion 
 as she spoke these words, and her agitated 
 voice told of the throbbing at her breast. 
 
 VOL. I. 17
 
 258 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Who is this Lisette you are talk- 
 ing about ? Who was she ? ' ' inquired 
 Blanche, coming into the room. " Who 
 is speaking ill of her, and of what crime 
 was she guilty?" The young lady was 
 standing now between Lizzie and the 
 Dowager, turning her head with lively 
 inquisitiveness from one to the other. 
 
 " Keep your curiosity within due 
 bounds, my dear child," advised the 
 Colonel. " As I told you before, old 
 castles have their secrets." 
 
 " Who told you there was any connec- 
 tion between the Castle and that busi- 
 ness, Colonel ? " The old lady was pale 
 as death now. 
 
 "No one," he replied, meditatively, 
 with a sharp glance across to her ; " but 
 you see, I am great at combinations." 
 
 "It is a great pity you did not turn 
 novel-writer, Colonel. You have missed 
 your vocation."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 259 
 
 " Good-bye, Nelly," whispered Lizzie, 
 bending down and kissing her friend's 
 cheek. Then, with a slight inclination 
 of the head to the others, she left the 
 room. Once escaped, she fairly flew 
 along the passage and across the open 
 space before the Castle. In the great 
 avenue who should suddenly stand before 
 her but Armand ? 
 
 " Fraulein Erving ! ". She looked up 
 at him. His features wore a very grave 
 expression. " Fraulein Erving," he re- 
 peated, " did you overhear the words 
 that were spoken in our parlour ? " 
 
 " Yes," she replied, steadily. 
 
 " It is not exactly, exactly what shall 
 I say ? discreet to listen when family 
 matters are being discussed." 
 
 " I did not listen, Baron von Deren- 
 berg," she exclaimed proudly. " Had 
 there been any way out of the room,
 
 260 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 I would gladly, thankfully, have left 
 it." 
 
 " You might have gone through the 
 parlour." 
 
 " No. Your mother herself asked me 
 to avoid crossing your grandmother's 
 path, for the Dowager Baroness cannot 
 endure me. I belong to people with 
 whom it is impossible to associate, as 
 you know. I was therefore compelled to 
 stay, though what I should have liked 
 best would have been to jump out of the 
 window." The small mouth uttered these 
 words with a bitterness most unfamiliar 
 to it. 
 
 "Well, at all events, I must beg of 
 you not to mention to any one that 
 which you have heard. It is a sacrifice 
 I am asking of you, I know. There 
 would be a certain pleasure in recounting 
 all these piquant sayings and doings.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 261 
 
 Our family has always furnished ample 
 material for conversation for the whole 
 country-side ; but I think you will make 
 the sacrifice if I. remind you that we were 
 once sworn friends, will you not, Lizzie ? " 
 He held out his hand to her, but the girl 
 stepped back and crossed her arms on her 
 breast. 
 
 "There is no need of a promise," she 
 replied in a low voice. " I should have 
 been silent in any case. Especially as 
 some part of your conversation was in- 
 sulting to my father, to whose house you 
 so gladly came in the days when we were, 
 as you say, ' sworn friends.' ' 
 
 He recoiled a little, in surprise and 
 some confusion. "What? I said no 
 word against your father." 
 
 " But you listened and were passive 
 when they called him a parvenu, when 
 they said he hated the nobility in general,
 
 262 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 and the Derenberg family in particular, 
 that he was bent on revenge ; and to 
 listen quietly to a slander, well knowing 
 it to be a slander, to stand by without a 
 word of protest against its untruth, is one 
 way of confirming the statement. Your 
 delicacy of feeling, sir, appears to be at 
 fault at times." 
 
 A great bitterness awoke within her, 
 mingling with the poignant pangs of 
 hopeless love. When she had coolly 
 turned her back upon him, and, without 
 once looking back, had walked rapidly 
 away down the avenue, great tears welled 
 to her eyes, and coursed slowly down her 
 cheeks. She did not see how he stood 
 long, looking after her, stood until her 
 slight figure had disappeared from sight. 
 Then, with knitted brow and a sombre 
 face, he turned and slowly retraced his 
 steps towards the Castle.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 263 
 
 When Armand re-appeared among the 
 others in the great sitting-room, a calm 
 seemed to have succeeded the storm. 
 Silence reigned. The Colonel had lighted 
 a cigarette, and was comfortably leaning 
 back in one of the deep old-fashioned 
 arm-chairs, whilst the elder Baroness sat 
 bolt upright on the sofa, nervously plait- 
 ing her handkerchief between her slender 
 white fingers. Blanche stood in one of 
 the window recesses, looking out into the 
 park, the long skirt of her dark-blue habit 
 lying behind her in heavy folds on the 
 old parqueted floor. She remained quite 
 motionless, taking no notice when her 
 lover went up to her side. He paid no 
 heed to the old lady's impatient question 
 as to where his mother was, and whether 
 she was not coming back soon. His 
 attention was wholly given to the charm- 
 ing figure at his side, which looked more
 
 264 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 bewitching, more child-like than ever in 
 the tightly-fitting riding-habit. Gently 
 he raised one of the great golden plaits 
 which had fallen loose over the dark 
 velvet, and carried it to his lips. The 
 young lady gave her head a violent shake 
 without looking round, seized the hair in 
 her little hands, and brought it forward 
 over her shoulder. 
 
 "Blanche!" he said, reproachfully, 
 stooping to look into her face. She 
 turned her head aw r ay, gazing with ap- 
 parent interest out into the quiet green 
 garden below. 
 
 " Have I offended you, Blanche ? " he 
 asked in a low voice. "Are you angry 
 with me?" 
 
 She put both hands to her ears with a 
 hasty movement. " No, no ; for heaven's 
 sake let me be," she cried, facing round 
 on him suddenly. "I do beg of you,
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 265 
 
 Armand, not to ask me such ridiculous 
 questions. You see I don't want any of 
 your tender whisperings and caressing 
 speeches at this moment. Any one else 
 would have understood it at once, but 
 you must begin to worry me, asking if 
 I am cross, and goodness knows what 
 nonsense ! " She tapped the floor petu- 
 lantly with her little foot. 
 
 Armand's face flushed crimson. I beg 
 pardon," he said, and walked up to the 
 little piano. He opened it, and struck 
 a few chords. 
 
 " Oh, please don't play," cried Blanche, 
 putting. her hands to her ears again. 
 
 He rose. " Well, play something for 
 us yourself, then," he entreated. " I 
 shall be glad to hear a little music. It 
 always seems to soothe and calm me." 
 
 "Yes, do play, my angel," cried the 
 Colonel, who had only overheard the last
 
 260 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 words of this little scene, and who was 
 glad of any diversion to break the 
 awkwardness existing between him and 
 the old lady. 
 
 "On that instrument?" asked the 
 beauty. " No, I cannot play on that ; 
 I cannot even bear to hear its jingling 
 tones. Besides, I am too fatigued after 
 my long ride," she added. 
 
 For one moment Armand's face dark- 
 ened, and an angry gleam shot from 
 his eyes. Then he went up to the 
 despised instrument, closed it, and came 
 back to his cousin's side. She had taken 
 up her little riding whip, and was play- 
 ing with the silver handle. The old lady 
 rose, and left the room. 
 
 " I must believe you to be really tired 
 out, otherwise it would be something 
 more than mere caprice for you to refuse 
 me when I ask you to play."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 267 
 
 "Believe it, my lad; accept tlie 
 excuse," said the old gentleman, slap- 
 ping him on the shoulder. " That is the 
 best way to take it. I see you will get 
 on capitally with her." 
 
 Armand bit his lip. 
 
 " Shall I take you to your room ? " 
 he asked, turning to his affianced bride. 
 " I would advise you to lie down and 
 rest. I may hope for some music after 
 supper, may I not ? ' ' 
 
 "I think not," she replied; "for my 
 head aches, and I shall stay in my room." 
 
 The Colonel laughed. "Well, good- 
 night then, and better health and temper 
 to you." With this and a nod to his 
 nephew, he walked out of the room, 
 still chuckling as he went. Blanche took 
 up her long skirt over her arm, and 
 prepared to follow him. She walked 
 past her lover without uttering a word.
 
 268 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Blanche," he said in a low tone, 
 barring the way. " Will you not say 
 good-night to me ? " 
 
 "You treat me just as if I were a 
 naughty child," she cried passionately, 
 retreating from him. " I wonder you 
 don't ask me to beg your pardon. It is 
 just the same to you whether I have 
 the headache or not." 
 
 "You mistake. I neither wish you 
 to apologise, nor do I refuse you my 
 sympathy, now that I know you are ill, 
 but I cannot let you go from me without 
 saying good-night. It is not a very 
 pleasant thing to part thus, you must own 
 it yourself, Blanche. When two people 
 -care for each other, as we two care, it 
 is so natural to wish to be on good terms, 
 to have a thorough understanding." 
 
 He had gone up to her, and would 
 have drawn her to him, but she avoided
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 269 
 
 his touch, swerving impatiently aside, 
 and for a moment her lip curled ironically, 
 
 " If you really cared for me, you would 
 not preach to me in that silly way, just 
 when you know I am tired and ex- 
 hausted," she answered, brusquely. 
 " You really have the most extraordinary 
 conception of our position the one to 
 the other," she went on. " This ever- 
 lasting attention, this mutual dependence, 
 neither being able to express a wish of 
 one's own, this merging, as it were, of 
 one's identity I tell you it is a horri- 
 ble, dragging chain, and no happiness. 
 I will be free, do you hear? free! " she 
 repeated, and next instant the heavy 
 door crashed to on its hinges behind the 
 light and graceful figure. 
 
 He stood as one stupined, staring 
 at the door through which she had 
 passed. A great stillness had fallen on the
 
 270 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 room. The glowing sunset sent its last 
 shimmering rays through the window, 
 filling the whole space with a soft rosy 
 light. Gradually, little by little, the 
 brightness faded, and the grey shades 
 of evening fell, veiling the scene with 
 their thin shroud. The young man 
 walked up to the window, and gazed 
 steadily out on the evening landscape. 
 His lips were tightly set, with an expres- 
 sion of profound annoyance and chagrin. 
 Suddenly he started. The sounds of 
 music struck on his ear from above. 
 Hastily he threw open the window, and 
 now the ringing notes were borne down 
 to him more distinctly. Those were the 
 Faust waltzes, played rhythmically, with 
 taste and spirit, as only she could play 
 them. Smooth as pearls rolled the 
 sparkling cadences, while ever through 
 them, brought into masterly relief, ran
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 271 
 
 the continuous thread of the leading 
 melody. 
 
 " She is playing," he murmured, 
 striking the hard window-sill with his 
 clenched fist. 
 
 " Canst find such free from trick and vice, 
 Hast a treasure of great price," 
 
 he quoted with a bitter laugh then he 
 went quickly from the room. 
 
 Out of doors the mild evening air met 
 him refreshingly. Involuntarily he turned 
 his steps in the direction of the Castle 
 moat where the great alder stood, stretch- 
 ing forth its now forlorn branches, and 
 stopped beneath her window. Close 
 before him rose the massive block of 
 the old tower. The climbing white roses 
 clustering up its walls gleamed faintly 
 over to him through the growing dark- 
 ness. Overhead the music had ceased. 
 It was finished no, there it began afresh
 
 272 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 a melancholy air this time. He 
 remembered the words of it 
 
 " Here too a suffering mortal stands : 
 He looks on high and wrings his hands 
 In his bitter agony." 
 
 How admirably the piece was executed I 
 Suddenly it was brought to an end with 
 a shrill discord. 
 
 Armand drew a deep breath, as though 
 relieved. In vain he sought to unriddle 
 this fair problem. His heart, which 
 loved so honestly and well, could furnish 
 him with no explanation of her conduct. 
 Again and again that evening the terrible 
 question had forced itself upon him 
 " Did she love him, after aU ? " "I will 
 die rather than give her up," he mur- 
 mured, as he walked on. Instinctively 
 his mind reverted to the Lady Agneta 
 Maud and to the Lord of Streitwitz who, 
 it was said, lay buried somewhere in
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 273 
 
 this garden. He turned into the first 
 covered walk he came to, and paced on 
 and on under the over-hanging trees. 
 He was dispirited and out of tune. All 
 the disagreeahle occurrences of the after- 
 noon came back to him with their many 
 painful impressions. He thought of the 
 conversation between his grandmother 
 and the Colonel, and all the hints and in- 
 nuendoes which, like exploding fire-balls, 
 threw an ugly glare here and there upon 
 the past. He thought of Blanche, of her 
 obstinate declaration that nothing should 
 induce her to make that place her home 
 then of the stern reproving words 
 Lizzie had spoken to him in the linden- 
 avenue, when he had begged her to 
 betray nothing of that which she had 
 heard. Those simple words and that 
 reproachful look had shamed him. It 
 was true ; he had allowed them to 
 
 VOL. I. 18
 
 274 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 slander that fine, honest-hearted man 
 down at the Mill, saying no syllable in 
 his defence from heedlessness, princi- 
 pally, so he told himself. His attention 
 had been engrossed by the altercation 
 which had so roughly dispelled his 
 dearest hopes, had thwarted his darling 
 scheme of living here with Blanche in 
 his own ancestral Castle. But Lizzie 
 must naturally suppose he thought as 
 did the others. "No, no, her father is 
 as honourable a man as ever trod. I 
 know that full well." After all, it 
 mattered deuced little to him what she 
 fancied, or supposed. It was the latest 
 incident of the evening that had left the 
 deepest sting. Those angry impetuous 
 words of Blanche's still rang in his ears : 
 " You have a most extraordinary con- 
 ception of our relative position;" and 
 again, " it is a chain, a galling chain, and 
 no happiness."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 275 
 
 "A cliain ! " he repeated to himself, 
 pausing in his walk. Then he added 
 quickly. "Bah, just a girl's caprice, 
 nothing more. She is too proud and 
 handsome, of too independent a character, 
 to fit quietly and at once into the narrow 
 grooves traced for all women." He 
 ought to have thought of this ; he must 
 not always try to win her over to his 
 views ; that was, no doubt, humiliating 
 to her. She had a right to feel injured, 
 this beautiful, haughty woman, who had 
 given herself to him. And she did love 
 him, he knew it. She had so often 
 assured him of her affection in reply to 
 his pressing, reiterated questions. In 
 the autumn, his uncle Derenberg had 
 said in the autumn she would be his 
 own, irrevocably his own ! Must not all 
 present care take to itself wings and flee 
 away before this blissful certitude of the 
 future ?
 
 276 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 A soft wind had arisen. It bowed the 
 branches over the young man's head till 
 they met together with a gentle rustle, 
 and rippled the surface of the dark pond 
 at Armand's feet. It scared away into the 
 far, far distance the dismal thoughts 
 which had been oppressing him, and 
 wafted through the still summer night all 
 the soft influences, awoke within him the 
 tender delicious yearnings, of love. 
 
 " In the autumn," said Armand to him- 
 self again. " In the autumn all will be 
 well."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 277 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 SUMMER was over, and autumn reigned in 
 her stead, tinting the forest foliage with 
 bright and variegated hues. Overhead 
 arched a vault of crystal-clear blue sky ; 
 the first faded leaves strewed the ground, 
 and fluttered down the linden avenue of 
 the park, and the Mill garden was ablaze 
 with dahlias and asters, now in their full 
 glory. Nets were drawn over the vine 
 espaliers, to deprive the dainty sparrows 
 of their longed-for feast, and from the 
 branches of the fruit-trees ripe golden 
 pears and red-cheeked apples peeped 
 forth, waiting to be plucked.
 
 278 LIZZIE OF THE MILL* 
 
 At the Mill all had gone on in the ac- 
 customed groove. How quickly the 
 summer had sped by ! Now they were 
 looking forward with satisfaction to the 
 long winter evenings, spent comfortably 
 round the warm stove. They were look- 
 ing forward to something else, too, the 
 good people at the Mill. Every one to 
 the hands employed at the works, to Mina 
 and Dolly in the kitchen, to Peter in the 
 stable every one knew that there would 
 probably soon be a wedding in the house. 
 It was clear as day to all who had eyes to 
 see, that Herr Selldorf and " our Lizzie " 
 were soon to be a pair. Every line and 
 feature of the honest young fellow's hand- 
 some face told the story of his love, and 
 no one had the master admitted to such 
 intimate terms, to none of his colleagues 
 had Lizzie's mother accorded so cordial a 
 welcome. Even old Aunty had always
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 279 
 
 a friendly nod for him when he came, and 
 when his name was mentioned in the 
 kitchen, she would say, " Ah, he is a fine 
 lad, a real fine lad, is Selldorf ! " Lizzie 
 alone seemed to remark nothing of all 
 this. She was at all times friendly and 
 courteous to her father's volunteer, and 
 she never failed to put the huge bunches 
 of forget-me-nots, which he would now 
 and then bring her, into fresh water with 
 alacrity ; but no visible sign was there of 
 the tender passion which, as a matter of 
 course, must have sprung up in her heart 
 for him, watch and spy as Mina and Dolly 
 might and did. 
 
 " Ah, she just makes believe," said the 
 latter, knowingly ; " that is the fashion 
 with the great folk, but inwardly it is very 
 different, is not it, Aunty ? " 
 
 " Many words make many lies," replied 
 old Aunty, severely. " Don't trouble yoitr
 
 280 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 head about Lily, but just mind your pots 
 and kettles. There will be a wedding in 
 the house some day, no doubt, but who 
 the bridegroom will be, the Lord only 
 knows. We can't look into the future, 
 so hold your tongue about things which 
 don't concern you. But there, you girls 
 think of nothing but of men and marry- 
 ing ! Lily knows right well that to choose 
 a husband is like choosing a horse, one 
 needs to have one's wits about one." So 
 saying, she shook her head gravely, with 
 an air of superior wisdom. But great as 
 was the weight her words generally 
 carried, on this occasion they went in at 
 one ear and out at the other. The maids 
 did not need to be told. They could see 
 plainly enough that Herr Selldorf was 
 sweet on their young lady, and time would 
 show who was right. 
 
 Meanwhile old Aunty went on, stor-
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 281 
 
 ing her winter provisions in pantry and 
 cellar, with all her wonted alertness, and 
 Lizzie had to be present everywhere, 
 and lend a helping hand. " For you see, 
 my bairnie, it is aU for the household that 
 is to come," said the old woman. 
 
 Half that afternoon a great shaking 
 and rustling of the old nut-trees behind 
 the house had been going on, and the 
 ground below, on which a great linen 
 sheet had been spread, was strewn with 
 leaves and fruit. Peter and Christy beat 
 the branches unmercifully with their long 
 poles, while half-a-dozen children scram- 
 bled about in delight, fairly rolling over 
 each other in the eagerness of the 
 chase. 
 
 Tired at length of watching the sport, 
 Lizzie and her friend Nelly, who had 
 come down to see her that afternoon, left 
 the garden, and went out before the
 
 282 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 house. There on a stone tahle, a white 
 cloth was laid, and old Aunty was busy 
 arranging cups and saucers. The two 
 girls waited in silence, looking on. 
 
 " Aunty, you will have your coffee out 
 here with us to-day, will you not ? " asked 
 Lizzie, when all was ready. 
 
 " Perhaps I may as well," said Aunty; 
 " especially as there is somebody in with 
 your father just now." She sat down on 
 the seat by Nelly, and asked Lizzie to 
 fetch her a cup. " How industrious we 
 are ! " she went on, as the young girl took 
 a piece of embroidery from a little basket, 
 and began to stitch diligently. 
 
 " A wedding-present for Army," said 
 Nelly, confidentially. 
 
 " Bless me ! " said the old woman, 
 taking the cup of coffee from Lizzie's 
 hand. " Why, he is very young yet. It 
 seems to me but yesterday that I saw
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 283 
 
 him come bounding over that bridge 
 yonder in his little velvet frock." 
 
 Nelly just nodded, but Lizzie turned 
 involuntarily, and looked across at the 
 little bridge, beneath which the limpid 
 water coursed with so swift and straight 
 a current. 
 
 "Who is in with father?" she asked 
 abruptly, as though to turn the conversa- 
 tion into another channel ; and, as she 
 spoke, she smiled to her mother wiiose 
 face appeared at the window for a 
 moment. 
 
 "A strange gentleman; I don't know 
 him," answered Aunt Marie. Then she 
 suddenly set her cup on the table, pushed 
 her spectacles down on her nose, and 
 looked sharply over them towards the 
 road on the other side of the water. 
 " Mercy on us, Nelly, dear, is not that 
 Sanna coming along there between the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 trees ? She is just behind that group of 
 alders and willows now. It is a long time 
 since I have seen her, but I think it was 
 her gait. Look, there she is ! " she 
 cried, pointing to a tall figure, attired in 
 a dark dress and white apron, which had 
 just reached the bridge. 
 
 " Sanna here ! " exclaimed Nelly. "Oh, 
 what can have happened at home ? " 
 
 " My lady begs that you will come to 
 her at once ; " they could now hear the 
 foreign accents of the old serving-woman, 
 whose face was flushed from her hurried 
 walk. 
 
 " Oh, for Heaven's sake, Sanna, tell 
 me what has happened ! " cried the young 
 girl, hastily gathering together her em- 
 broidery. "Is it mamma or grandmamma 
 who wants me ? " 
 
 " Your grandmamma, of course," re- 
 plied the messenger, not deigning to
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 bestow a look on old Aunty, or on 
 Lizzie, who was helping her friend to 
 put the coloured wools in her basket. 
 " Your grandmamma is angry that you 
 were not at home, so angry that I came 
 over here at once to fetch you. Your 
 mamma said you were sure to be down 
 at the Mill as usual, and Henry had not 
 time to come ; he had to go to the post." 
 
 "But speak, Sanna, do speak!" im- 
 plored Nelly, looking up anxiously at the 
 tall meagre woman before her. " Is 
 anybody ill, or have they had any bad 
 news?" 
 
 " My lady has received a letter with 
 a black border," replied the old woman, 
 with a glance and a scowl at Aunt Marie, 
 who had risen from her seat. 
 
 " Oh, for God's sake, say it is not 
 Army ! " shrieked the girl in horror, 
 looking wildly up into the stern face
 
 286 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 before her. " Sanna dear, dearest Sauna, 
 you- know, I am sure of it. Tell me, I 
 implore you ! " She ran up to her, and 
 caught her hands with a beseeching 
 gesture. Lizzie had dropped on to the 
 stone seat, feeling as if her limbs could 
 no longer support her : her great dilated 
 eyes were fixed almost vacantly on the 
 group. 
 
 " I don't know," replied the old ser- 
 vant, shrugging her shoulders, while Nelly 
 covered her face with her hands, and 
 cried again, in a voice broken by sobs 
 " Oh, Army ! if it should be Army ! " 
 "Don't fret, little Nelly," said old 
 Aunty, taking the weeping girl in her 
 arms, and speaking with comforting as- 
 surance. "It is not your brother, or 
 she would not stand there so quietly. 
 Go home quickly, and be of good courage ; 
 it is not he."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 287 
 
 " Oh, Aunty," she sobbed, " I can 
 hardly stand for fear." 
 
 " You need not cry, gracious Fraulein," 
 said old Sanna, with much stress on the 
 " gracious Fraulein." " Countess Ston- 
 theim is dead. Your grandmamma for- 
 bade me to mention it at the Mill, for 
 she wishes to avoid all gossip and chat- 
 tering, and here . . ." She gulped down 
 the rest, casting & hostile and withering 
 glance at old Aunty, who was still stand- 
 ing beside the frightened girl. 
 
 "Well, well," remarked the latter; 
 11 you might keep it to yourself, so far 
 as I am concerned. What does it matter 
 to me whether the aunt is alive or dead ? 
 But you need not set this poor child all 
 of a tremble with your bad news. It 
 was time enough for her to hear of it 
 when she got home." 
 
 "I have nothing to do with you; I
 
 288 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 just follow out my mistress's orders," 
 returned the waiting-woman, contemptu- 
 ously. 
 
 " Oh yes; you follow out your mis- 
 tress's orders ! I have known that of you 
 this long time," said old Aunty, the 
 blood suddenly rushing to her cheeks; 
 and she fixed a penetrating gaze on her 
 adversary. 
 
 " I will come with you a bit of the 
 way," cried Lizzie, waking, as it were, 
 from her torpor, and running after her 
 friend, who had already started home- 
 wards. 
 
 Sanna did not attempt to follow them. 
 She stood rooted, as it were, to the 
 ground. 
 
 "What do you mean?" she asked, 
 glaring with an expression of implacable 
 enmity at Aunt Marie, who was busy 
 putting the cups and saucers together.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 289* 
 
 As the two women stood thus con- 
 fronting each other, it was evident that 
 some smouldering, long-pent-up animosity 
 had suddenly blazed forth into a fierce 
 flame. 
 
 " What do I mean ? " returned old 
 Aunty, fearlessly advancing a step nearer,, 
 while she kept her honest eyes fixed on 
 the tall dark figure before her. " What 
 do I mean? Ah, Mam'sell Sanna, you 
 have no need to ask me that. I can 
 see by your face that you know right 
 well. Often enough must it have plucked 
 at your pillow, and driven sleep from your 
 eyelids, in the dreary long nights. Often r 
 I know, has it weighed on your breast 
 like a nightmare, not budging an inch, 
 though you counted your beads a hundred 
 times, and prayed to all manner of saints. 
 That was conscience, Mam'sell Sanna, 
 and an evil conscience tears like the 
 
 19
 
 290 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 teeth of a wolf. It grips deep and 
 strong, and ..." 
 
 " Misericordia ! " cried Sanna, striking 
 her palms together, with a passionate 
 gesture of anger. "This is what I get 
 by coming down here myself all in a 
 hurry. My lady is right in forbidding 
 us always to have anything to do with 
 the plebaglio, the miser abile ! " 
 
 " What your mistress may say is of no 
 sort of consequence to me," declared old 
 Aunty ; " and you may spare your Italian 
 abuse, for I don't understand a word of 
 it. But there is one thing I must tell 
 you, Mam'sell Sanna, since chance will 
 have it that we are brought together 
 this many a year have I longed to speak 
 it. You and your Baroness have a sin 
 on your conscience, which cries aloud 
 to Heaven for vengeance, and which one 
 day will find you out. Perhaps you
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 291 
 
 fancied no one knew of it, or perhaps 
 you may have guessed rightly that one 
 person still lives who knows the ins and 
 the outs of that business, who knows 
 by what means a sweet blooming young 
 creature was sent to an untimely grave. 
 But I tell you this, and you may take 
 it to her ladyship up yonder from me 
 God may shut His eyes for a while, but 
 not for ever. He will not always suffer 
 Himself to be mocked at, and I, I, old 
 Aunty of the paper-mill, pray to the 
 good God every night of my life that 
 He will let me see the day when I can 
 go to your proud mistress, and tell her 
 to her face that she is a . . ." 
 
 " Cielo ! " screeched the Italian, fencing 
 with her hands in the air. " What a 
 crazy old creature ! I wonder you don't 
 say we murdered the proud, presumptuous 
 young chit."
 
 292 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 " That I might say with Gospel truth," 
 asserted old Marie ; " and if there were 
 none more proud and presumptuous than 
 she, it would be well for all of us." 
 
 " Am I to put up with such language 
 as this ? " exclaimed old Sanna, in a fury. 
 " Perhaps you want to pretend that we 
 gave her poison, or strangled her. If 
 Mam' sell Lisette fell ill and died, she 
 had only herself to blame for it, and 
 she got no more than she deserved. 
 What right had she to fancy our Baron 
 was going to marry her ? Why did she 
 make love to people above her own 
 condition in life ? A gentleman like that 
 has eyes for a hundred lasses. He does 
 not marry the first pretty girl he sees." 
 
 "Oh!" said the old woman, hastily 
 setting down on the table the tray she 
 had just taken up; " so you want to 
 slander Baron Fritz as well, do you?
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 293 
 
 He was worth more than the whole kit 
 up there," pointing to the Castle " and 
 if in later years he grew to he a fast 
 liver and a wild reckless man, I tell 
 you again, it was all your doing. As 
 to the fancying, our poor Lisette had 
 no call to fancy anything. She was 
 Baron Fritz's hetrothed, affianced to him 
 in all honour, and, so sure as I stand 
 here, she would have become his wife, 
 if false, wicked traitors had not come 
 between to part them." 
 
 Sanna gave a loud scornful laugh. 
 
 "You think so really? And I teU 
 you no, so sure as she was Lisette of 
 the rag-mill. There is no place up 
 yonder for people of her sort." 
 
 " Pride always sticks its tail out of 
 the nest," said old Aunty, disdainfully. 
 " Our sort, thank God, is too honest and 
 good a sort to suit such evil company
 
 294 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 and evil ways as were favoured up there 
 in those days. The Derenbergs had 
 always been loyal, God-fearing people 
 of the true old kidney. They would 
 have turned in their graves, one and all 
 of them, down in the old vaults yonder, 
 if they had known all the goings-on of 
 that proud set." 
 
 "Aunty, Aunty," cried the anxious 
 voice of the mistress from the window. 
 
 "Directly, Minnachen," she replied, 
 taking up the tray again. " I am coming. 
 You know we old folks like to get talking 
 of bygones, especially when one has not 
 seen one another for a long time, like 
 Main'sell Banna and me." Then she 
 marched into the house without once 
 looking round. 
 
 " Goodness me, Aunty, what a piece 
 of work you were making out there ! " 
 said Frau Erving, reproachfully, as the
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 295 
 
 old woman entered the room, with a 
 brilliant colour in her face. " I was 
 quite frightened, that great dark creature 
 looked so wicked." 
 
 "I wasn't frightened, Minnachen ; not 
 I ! " answered old Marie. " It was a mercy 
 for me to be able to speak out my mind 
 for once. Years have I waited for the 
 chance. Sometimes I have thought I 
 should have to die without telling them 
 to then: face what a great sin is laid to 
 
 their account ; and now to-day Ah, 
 
 I was too gentle, a deal too gentle. If 
 I had had the false baggage in my room, 
 instead of out there under God's heaven, 
 then you would have heard, Minna . . ." 
 
 " Aunty, Aunty ! ' Vengeance is mine, 
 saith the Lord.' What would the pastor 
 say, if he were to see you now ? " 
 
 " I don't want vengeance," said the 
 old woman in a low voice ; " for ' revenge
 
 296 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 when by, breeds many a sigh ; ' but, 
 believe me, when I saw her standing 
 there, that creature who helped to bring 
 all the trouble about, it was just as if 
 boiling oil were being poured into my 
 heart." She broke off, for at that 
 moment Lizzie entered the room. 
 
 " It is quite true," reported the girl. 
 " Countess Stontheim is dead. Nelly's 
 mother met us in the park, and told us 
 so. Army has written that the funeral 
 is to be to-morrow, and after that, he 
 will bring his cousin back here again. 
 The wedding is not to be put off. Every- 
 thing is to remain just the same. I met 
 Sanna as I came through the wood, 
 Aunty. Has she been staying with you 
 aU this time?" 
 
 "All the time, my deary. We have 
 been having a very pleasant, nice little 
 chat together."
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 297 
 
 Lizzie looked at her rather curiously, 
 and then sat down at the window. Aunt 
 Marie and her mother left the room to- 
 gether, and all grew very still about the 
 young girl whose heart was heavy with 
 the sorrow of a secret, hopeless love. 
 The yellow leaves floated slowly down 
 from the tall limes before the house 
 dead, faded tokens of the brightness that 
 was past. A couple of small birds 
 chirped and fluttered from branch to 
 branch. 
 
 " Suppose lie had died ? " the girl whis- 
 pered to herself, " But no, no; better 
 far that it should be as it is. Oh, Father, 
 grant that he may be happy . . . for his 
 mother's sake and Nelly's," she added, 
 lingeringly. 
 
 Some days passed, during which Lizzie 
 helped assiduously with the housekeep- 
 ing, and the old ringing laugh pealed
 
 298 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 forth more frequently than it had been 
 wont to do of late. "Yes, laugh, my 
 deary," said the old woman once, in 
 delight at the sound. " God loves a 
 hearty laugh." She is in better spirits r 
 she is getting over it, thought old Aunty. 
 The child was so young ; she had all 
 her life before her, and that life was so 
 full of promise. Involuntarily Aunty's 
 thoughts reverted to the good-looking, 
 fair-haired young fellow, who was so- 
 quiet, and made so little fuss, and yet 
 who was winning such favour at the Mill 
 with his sensible, kindly ways. " Ah, 
 they would make a grand pair," she whis- 
 pered, half audibly. 
 
 Early that morning she had stood 
 watching the young man as, with a gun 
 slung over his shoulder, he set out 
 betimes in company with the master, 
 bent on a few hours' shooting. She had
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 299 
 
 noticed the quick look lie darted back 
 at the window behind which Lizzie was 
 still slumbering, and thought, " If she 
 could only see him now ! No one could 
 look sprucer." But Lizzie had not lent 
 an ear when she praised him to her later 
 on ; she had only laughed, and turned 
 the conversation to some other topic. 
 
 Now it was noon. The soup was 
 steaming on the table in the dining- 
 room, and Lizzie sprang out to meet her 
 father on his return, never even thinking 
 who was with him. 
 
 " Good morning, father," she cried. 
 "Well, what have you brought us?" 
 Then she became aware that Herr Sell- 
 dorf was standing behind him. That 
 young gentleman, taking his green felt 
 hat from his curly head, grasped her 
 father's hand fervently, and looked at 
 him with a beseeching look.
 
 300 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 "Well, good-bye, then, until th'is even- 
 ing, Selldorf," she heard her father say. 
 Then came a shake of the hands, and the 
 young man disappeared without so much 
 as a glance in her direction. Handsome 
 Herr Erviug greeted his daughter rather 
 absently, and threw his pouch into a 
 corner. " Where is your mother ? I 
 I must speak to your mother," he said 
 quickly. 
 
 "But, Friedrich, the soup ! " cried old 
 Aunty from the kitchen. 
 
 " Ah, yes. Well, it will do afterwards," 
 said he. During dinner-time he fre- 
 quently passed his hand across his face, 
 then smiled, then suddenly grew grave 
 again. Once he looked at his Lizzie so 
 keenly, and yet with such sadness in his 
 eyes, that she laid aside her fork, and 
 asked 
 
 " Father, what has happened to you ? "
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 301 
 
 and "Erving, have you had any bad 
 news ? " inquired the mistress, anxiously. 
 
 " Not a bit of it," he replied cheer- 
 fully, and did his best to appear uncon- 
 cerned and at ease. The meal was soon 
 over, and directly it was finished he fol- 
 lowed his wife into the parlour. 
 
 Lizzie went out into the garden and 
 walked up and down, casting occasional 
 timid glances at the parlour windows. 
 After a time she thought she would go 
 back into the house, but old Aunty met 
 her in the little room, and signed to her 
 to keep outside. Pull of vague appre- 
 hension, she sat down on the stone seat 
 underneath the window, and waited. 
 Much eager talking was going on inside. 
 At last she heard old Aunty's voice say, 
 " No, Friedrich, you must promise me 
 one thing. If she is not willing, you 
 must not try to over-persuade her, for
 
 302 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 ' a marriage due to force, is of endless woe 
 the source.' ' 
 
 " Of course not, of course not," an- 
 swered the father; "but one may set 
 before her all the advantages and disad- 
 vantages." 
 
 The young girl sitting outside had 
 suddenly turned pale as death. In an 
 instant the truth flashed upon her, a full 
 certain knowledge of the subject under 
 discussion within doors. Had she lived 
 in a dream up to this time ? Could her 
 parents, could her dear good father and 
 mother, bring themselves to give her from 
 them ? Would she have to leave the 
 old Mill, to go away with a strange man, 
 away from her mother and Aunty, from 
 all that was dear and familiar to her? 
 Was she no longer to inhabit that little 
 room upstairs, her very own little room, 
 whence she could gaze over at the towers
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 303 
 
 of the old Castle ? She pressed her 
 hands against her breast ; it seemed to 
 her that her heart stopped beating at the 
 mere notion. 
 
 "Lizzie, come in here," called her 
 father. 
 
 Mechanically she rose and obeyed the 
 summons. Now she was in the parlour. 
 Her mother sat on the sofa, and Aunt 
 Marie by the window. They both looked 
 at her so strangely, so tenderly ; it seemed 
 to her that her mother had been crying. 
 
 The old woman rose from her chair, 
 and walked out of the room. She would 
 not intrude between the parents and 
 their child. She went quietly up to her 
 own room, and took the Bible from the 
 chest of drawers. Then she sat down 
 in the old armchair, and folded her hands 
 over the book. " God alone knows what 
 is best," she whispered ; " He will guide
 
 304 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 her, and all will be well." Without, the 
 rays of the autumn sun glinted on the 
 many- coloured aster-beds, and long white 
 gossamer threads hung like a silvery veil 
 over the half-stripped gooseberry-bushes. 
 " When spring comes round again, how 
 wih 1 it be with us here ? " She thought 
 of her darling, before whom the most 
 momentous decision in life was thus sud- 
 denly to be placed. How would Lizzie 
 take the disclosure ? Had she really 
 never remarked how dear she had grown 
 to the young man ? Did she not, in 
 return, care for him just the least little 
 bit? Ah, no. The old woman shook 
 her head. She knew every turn of that 
 young heart. " No, she does not love 
 him, and if she gives him her promise, 
 putting a constraint on herself because 
 her parents wish it, will she be happy? 
 Ah, the love that comes to order is like
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 305 
 
 a painted face, not made to last ! Poor 
 lamb!" she murmured, "they will not 
 go on, and go on, until they talk her 
 over, I hope. Minna will not, hut 
 Friedrich Friedrich is wrapped up, so 
 to speak, in that young man." 
 
 She opened the hook, and looked down 
 at its yellow pages, but she could not 
 read. The letters danced before her eyes, 
 and her hands trembled. Presently there 
 came a clink of the door-latch. Would 
 it be the glowing, bashful face of a newly- 
 affianced bride that would look in upon 
 her ? Old Aunty held her breath. The 
 door was pushed slowly open, and the 
 young girl stood on the threshold. Had 
 she grown taller during the last half- 
 hour ? She came in quietly. A great 
 gravity had settled on her pale features. 
 
 "Aunty," she said in a low voice, "I 
 have said no" 
 
 VOL. i. 20
 
 306 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 Old Marie made no reply. She nodded 
 her head, as though agreeing with the 
 verdict. " So you don't care for him, 
 child ?" she asked after a pause. " Well, 
 they are strange things, these love-affairs, 
 and generally go cross." 
 
 " I can't care for any one, Aunty," 
 came a whisper close to the old woman's 
 ear. Two soft arms were wound about 
 her neck, and a pale face nestled on her 
 breast. So the girl remained kneeling by 
 her old friend's side. 
 
 " God bless you, my Lily ! " murmured 
 Aunty, passing her hand caressingly over 
 the brown tresses. " You have done 
 right." 
 
 Across the hall in the parlour the 
 master was excitedly pacing up and down. 
 Fran Erving's eyes were red with weep- 
 ing ; she spoke imploringly
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 307 
 
 " But if she does not care for Mm, 
 Erving?" 
 
 " Minna, there is no talking reasonably 
 with a woman on these subjects," he 
 said, halting before her. " Just consider 
 this lad, will you? He is good-looking 
 and honourable, he comes of a respectable 
 family, and he loves her dearly. His 
 father writes me that they are all ready 
 to worship the lass. Is not that enough ? 
 What more does she want ? But there 
 is something in the background. That is 
 my belief, and you will not talk me out 
 of it." 
 
 " But, Erving, what can there possibly 
 be?" 
 
 "I declare I hardly knew the girl ! She, 
 who is generally so docile and tractable, 
 to stand there with her pale face, and say 
 me ' no,' nothing but no ! God bless my 
 soul, who would have thought it ? "
 
 308 LIZZIE OP THE MILL. 
 
 " She is your own daughter, old man," 
 said Frau Erving. " You know," she 
 went on with an attempt at a smile, 
 " when your father wanted you to marry 
 Agnes, you said l no,' too, and stuck 
 to it." 
 
 "Ah, that was quite another matter. 
 I had seen you then, and grown fond of 
 you. But this unfledged chit, who has 
 hardly put her nose out of the nest yet ! 
 I vow I have not had such a disagreeable 
 job for years as to give that poor lad his 
 answer this evening." 
 
 He stopped at the window, and looked 
 through the panes with an absent air and 
 a heavy cloud on his brow. He did not 
 turn round when presently the door was 
 softly opened, and old Aunty came in. 
 
 She paused a moment. "Why, Minnie, 
 what are you crying about ? Nobody is
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 309 
 
 dead, and there is no such hurry with the 
 courting. You've more than a handful, 
 you've a whole land full of men to choose 
 from, and the right one will come at 
 last." 
 
 The master, standing by the window, 
 moved impatiently, as though he had a 
 sharp answer ready ; but he repressed it, 
 and said quietly " You speak to the best 
 of your judgment, Aunty." 
 
 " Well, I think I ought to know some- 
 thing about such matters. I have lived a 
 good bit longer than you. Our Lily is 
 only just seventeen, hardly out of her 
 baby-clothes, you may say. There will 
 be a hundred suitors at the Mill for her 
 yet, why should she take the first that 
 comes ? He is a brave lad, and a fine 
 lad, is Selldorf, but there ! we don't all 
 see with the same eyes. One-sided love
 
 310 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 is like a question without an answer, and 
 is safe to bring trouble. So just you 
 make the best of it, Friedrich, and don't 
 frown and look black at her. She is your 
 only chick, and why should you force her 
 to marry the man, if she does not want 
 him ? It won't help you a bit to fret and 
 fume, and you can't say 'must' in a 
 business of this sort, so just give it up, 
 and thank the Lord the child is spared to 
 you yet awhile. When she gets a hus- 
 band, she'll be yours no longer." 
 
 " That's enough ; that's enough," he 
 replied impatiently, and began pacing up 
 and down the room again. The old 
 woman said not another word. She knew 
 she had gained her object, so she took 
 out the stocking she was knitting, and sat 
 down in her accustomed place. 
 
 " Has she said anything to you ? " 
 asked the mother after a long pause.
 
 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 311 
 
 "Yes, she came to me, and told me 
 how matters stood, and then she cried 
 and begged me to go and try to bring her 
 father round." 
 
 " Where is she ? " he asked. 
 
 " She has gone up to her own room." 
 
 " Oh," he replied, and began walking 
 up and down again; then he turned to 
 the door, and went out. 
 
 "I know well enough where he is 
 going," said the old woman, with a nod 
 and a smile. " He was sadly put out, 
 eh?" 
 
 " Oh, it wasn't so bad, Aunty, but I 
 am not used to see him angry; it 
 frightened me." 
 
 "Now, just look out there, Minnie," 
 said she, pointing to the garden, and, sure 
 enough, there was the master going 
 slowly along the gravel-walk with his
 
 312 LIZZIE OF THE MILL. 
 
 arm round his daughter's waist. Her 
 head was leaning on his shoulder, and as 
 he spoke to her, she looked up at him 
 and smiled. 
 
 "My good husband, my darling child ! " 
 murmured the watcher at the window, 
 and her heart leapt for joy. 
 
 END OF YOL. I. 
 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 
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