MATRIMONY AND MOONSHINE. 33 



heart and hand to offer. In three minutes he was at her house. He 

 entered with timidity ; two immense boots rattled down the steps ; 

 and the next minute, Drost with an oppressed heart squeezed him- 

 self into a corner to let the officer of the Guards bustle by. He then, 

 in a low stifled voice, gave the servant his name. The folding doors 

 flew open. 



ce You threw us all in a terrible fright/' cried Julia, advancing 

 towards him. 



Julia was the youngest daughter of Herr Von Zetten, who pos- 

 sessed a fine house, fine horses, little property, and handsome daugh- 

 ters. She had just emerged from school, and had conquered five 

 hundred hearts by her first dance Drost' s among them. The ball 

 was over ; the elegant figures, drawn together by gaiety, vanished 

 with the music : but Drost could not forget the figure of the 

 dancer. 



Nobody seemed to notice his embarrassment j the last rain, the 

 last opera, and the new singer, succeeding each other in conversation, 

 put an end to it. 



He had already laid down his hat without making his excuses j he 

 had sat for two minutes opposite to Julia, without blushing, and his 

 eyes were now bold enough to meet hers. 



He saw a piano and music, and turned with an imploring look 

 from the instrument to Julia's eyes. The father glanced at Julia 

 and Julia played ; two pretty white hands flew over the keys ; 

 Drost did not hear Mozart's Sonata, but he saw Julia's hands. She 

 sang : Haydeii's Creation was open before her ; he admired the 

 creation upon Julia's lips. The father stood like an amateur behind 

 her chair, his attention apparently directed to the music. The 

 " Creation" came to an end ; Drost perceived it by Julia's lips being 

 closed. " It is a master-piece !" cried the father ; Drost stood in 

 dumb astonishment before the master-piece. Two hours passed 

 away, and dinner was served. Drost took his hat ; Julia and her 

 father begged him to stay and he stayed. 



Drost sat between the father and Julia. He talked with the one, t 

 and looked at the other. She cast down her eyes and blushed, the 

 elder sister smiled, and the father drank and was delighted. A noise 

 in the street drew the servant to the window ; a guardsman had 

 fallen from his horse. 



" There are some fine men in the Guards," said Drost, and glanced 

 significantly at Julia. But Julia looked perfectly unconcerned. 



" A relation of ours has been in the Guards about a week/' said 

 the father with a sigh, shrugging his shoulders. 



" I wish he would not come here so often," said Julia. Drost 

 felt a thrill of happiness through his veins that an angel might have 

 envied. 



Astonishing ! a day had passed away, and he had neither yawned 

 nor looked at his watch, he had neither played nor felt ennui ; he had 

 not been to the theatre, nor even thought of it. A day without 

 playing or society ! He fell asleep out of the very excess of his asto- 

 nishment. Julia's eyes and Hayden's Creation, filled his visions 

 with light and music. 



M.M. No. 97. F 



