but Lucinda was always at hand, ready to waltz with him, to protract his lesson, or to show him little attentions. There were not many pupils, so that he often remained after his lesson to chat away the time, or to read aloud to them a romance: dangerous moments!

He saw how things stood, yet puzzled himself about the reserve of the younger sister. The cause of it came out at last. One evening, after the dance was over, Lucinda detained him in the dancing-room, telling him that her sister was in the sitting-room with a fortune-teller, who was disclosing the condition of a lover to whom the girl's heart was given. Mine,' said Lucinda, is free, and I must get used to its being slighted.'

6

He tried to parry this thrust by divers little compliments; and, indiscreetly enough, advised her to try her own fate with the fortune-teller, offering to do the same himself. Lucinda did not like that tampering with fate, declaring that the disclosures of the oracle were too true to be made a matter of sport. Probably this piqued him into a little more earnestness than he had shown, for ultimately he persuaded her to go into the sitting-room with him. They found Emilia much pleased with the information that she had received from the pythoness, who was highly flattered at the new resort to her shrine. A handsome reward was promised her if she should disclose the truth. With the customary ceremonial she began to tell the fortune of the elder sister. She hesitated. C Oh, I see,' said Emilia, that you have something unpleasant to tell.' Lucinda turned pale, but said, 'Speak out; it will not cost me my life.' The fortune-teller heaved a deep sigh, and proceeded with her disclosures. Lucinda, she said, was in love; but her love was not returned; another person standing in the way. And she went on with more in the same style. It is not difficult to imagine that the

sybil should readily enough interpret the little drama which was then acting by the youth and two girls before her eyes. Lucinda showed evidence of distress; and the old woman endeavored to give a better turn to the affair by throwing out hopes of letters and money. Letters,' said Lucinda, 'I do not expect; and money I do not want. If I love as you say, I have a right to be loved in return.' The fortune-teller shuffled the cards again; but that only made matters worse; the girl now appeared in the oracular vision in greater trouble, her lover at a greater distance. A third shuffle of the cards was still worse; Lucinda burst into a passionate flood of tears, and rushed from the room. Follow her,' said Emilia, and comfort her.' But he hesitated, not seeing what comfort he could well give, as he could not assure her of some return for her affection. Let us go together,' he replied. Emilia doubted whether her presence would do good; but she consented. Lucinda had locked herself in; and paying the old woman for the work, Goethe left the house.

He had scarcely courage to revisit the sisters; but on the third day Emilia sent for him, and he received his lesson as usual. Lucinda, however, was absent; and when he asked for her, Emilia told him that she was in bed, declaring that she should die. She had thrown out great reproaches against him for his ungrateful behavior. 'And yet I do not know,' said he,' that I am guilty of having expressed any sort of affection for her. I know somebody who can bear me witness of that.' Emilia smiled. 'I comprehend,' she said; but if we are not careful we shall all find ourselves in a disastrous position. Forgive me if I say that you must not go on with your lessons. My father says that he is ashamed to take your money any longer, unless you mean to pursue the art of dancing; since you know already what is needed by a

'Do you tell me to avoid the 'Yes,' she said; but not on

young man in the world.' house, Emilia ?' he asked. my own account. When you had gone the other day, I had the cards cut for you; and the same answer was given thrice. You were surrounded by friends, and all sorts of good fortune; but the ladies kept aloof from you my poor sister stood furthest of all. One other constantly came near to you; but never close; for a third person, a man, always came between. I will confess that I thought I was myself this second lady; and now you will understand my advice. I have promised myself to another, and until now I loved him more than any one. Yet your presence might become more dangerous to me than it has been; and then what a position would be yours between two sisters, one of whom you would have made miserable by your affection, and the other by your coldness.' She held out her hand and bade him farewell; she then led him to the door; and in token that it was to be their last meeting she threw herself upon his bosom and kissed him tenderly. Just as he had put his arms round her, a side door flew open, and her sister rushed in 'in a night dress,' crying, 'You shall not be the only one to take leave of him!' Emilia released him. Lucinda took him in her arms, pressed her black locks against his cheeks; remained thus for some time, and then drawing back looked him earnestly in the face. He took her hand, and tried to muster some kind expressions to soothe her; but she turned away, walked passionately up and down the room, and then threw herself in great agitation into a corner of the sofa. Emilia went up to her, but was violently repulsed and a scene ensued, which had in it, says the principal performer, nothing really theatrical, although it could only be represented on the stage by an actor of sensibility. Lucinda poured forth reproaches against her

sister. This,' said she, is not the first heart beating for me that you have wheedled away. Was it not so with the one now betrothed to you, while I looked on and bore it? I, only, know the tears it cost me; and now you would rob me of this one. How many would you manage to keep at once? I am frank and easy-tempered, and all think they understand me at once, and may slight me. You are secret and quiet, and make people wonder at what may be concealed behind: there is nothing there but a cold, selfish heart, sacrificing everything to itself.' Emilia seated herself by her sister, and remained silent while Lucinda, growing more excited, began to betray matters not quite proper for him to hear. Emilia made a sign to him to withdraw. But Lucinda caught the sound, sprang towards him, and then remained lost in thought. 'I know that I have lost you,' she said: 'I claim you no more; but neither shall you have him.' So saying, she grasped him wildly by the head with her hands thrust among his hair, pressed her face to his and kissed him repeatedly on the mouth. Now fear my curse! Woe upon woe, for ever and ever, to her who for the first time after me kisses these lips! Dare to sport with him now! Heaven hears my curse! And you, begone, begone

while you may !"

He hurried from the house never to return. Is not this narrative like a scene in a novel? The excited little

French woman the bewildered poet · the old fortuneteller, and the dry old dancing master, faintly sketched, in the background, are the sort of figures a novelist would delight in.

10*

CHAPTER VI.

HERDER AND FREDERIKA.

ONE thing very noticeable in this Strasburg period is the thoroughly German culture it gave him. In those days culture was mostly classical and French. Classical studies had never exercised much influence over him, and indeed throughout his career he approached antiquity more through Art than through the Greek and Roman writers. To the French, on the other hand, he owed a great deal, both of direction and material. A revival of the old German nationality was, however, actively agitated at this epoch. Klopstock, Lessing, Herder, Shakespeare and Ossian were the rivals opposed to France. A feeling of national pride gave its momentum to this change in taste. Gothic art began to be considered the true art of modern times.

At the table d'hôte our friends, all German, not only banished the French language, but made a point of being in every way unlike the French. French literature was ridiculed, as affected, insincere, unnatural. The truth, homely strength, and simplicity of the German character were set against this literature of courtiers. Goethe had been dabbling in mediæval studies, had been awe-struck by the cathedral, had been inspired by Shakespeare, and had seen Lessing's iconoclastic wit scattering the pretensions of French poetry. Moreover he had read the