298 Peter, a tale. . Fib. il, 



be an eternal bar in the way to my love ; and that I must 

 either renounce her for ever, or think of some means of 

 becoming richer. But, to grow richer, I must have left 

 the village where my Theresa lived ; that effort was above 

 me ; and I offered myself as a servant to Theresa's father. 



" I was received. You may guefs with what courage 

 I worked. I soon acquired Aimar's friendfhip and The- 

 resa's love. All of you, my children, who know what it 

 is to marry from love, know too the heart-felt pleasure of 

 reciprocity in every interview, every look, every action, 

 Theresa loved me as much as (he herself was loved. 1 

 thought of nothing But Theresa ; I worked for her ; I li- 

 ved for her ; and I fondly imagined that happinefs was then 

 eternally mine. 



" I was soon undeceived. A neighbouring cottager 

 afked Theresa in marriage from her father. Aimar went 

 and examined how many acres of ground his intended son- 

 in-law could bring his daughter, and found that he was 

 the very hufbandithat suited her. The day was fixed for 

 the fatal union. 



" In vain we wept ; our tears were of jjo service to us. 

 The inflexible Aimar gave Theresa to understand that 

 her grief was highly displeasing to him j so that restraint 

 added to our mutual wretchednels. 



" The terrible day was near. We were without one 

 glimmering of hope. Theresa was about to become the 

 wife of a man fhe detested. She was certain that death 

 must be the inevitable consequence. I was sure I could 

 not suivive her-, we made up our minds to the only way 

 that was left, — we both ran off, and — heaven runiihed us. 



" In the middle of the night we left the village. I 

 placed Theresa on a little horse that one of her uncles 

 had made her a present of : It was my decision that there 

 •^.cfs no harm in taking it away, since it did not belong to 



