1792' Peter, a tale. 299 



her father. A small wallet contained her clothes and 

 mine, with a trifle of money that Theresa had saved. 

 For ray part, I would take nothing with me ; so true it is 

 that many of the virtues of youth are the offspring of fancy ; 

 I was robbing a father of his daughter, and I scrupled 

 at ' the same time to carry off the value of a pin from 

 his house. 



" We travelled all night j at day-break \vc found our- 

 selves on the frontiers of Bohemia, and pretty nearly out 

 pf the reach of any who • might be in pursuit of us. The 

 place we first stopped in was a valley, beside one of those 

 rivulets that lovers are so fond of meeting with. Theresa 

 alighted, sat down beside me on the grafs, and we both 

 made a frugal but delicious meal. When done, we turned 

 our thoughts to the next step we were to take. 



" Aiter a long conversalion, and reckoning twenty 

 times over our money, and estimating the little horse at 

 its highest value, we found that the whole of our fortune 

 did not amount to twenty ducats. Twenty ducats are 

 soon gone I We resolved, however, to make the best of 

 our way to some great town, that we might be lefs exposed, 

 in case they were in search of us, and there get married as 

 soon as j)ofsible. After these very wise reflections we 

 took the road that leads to Egra. , 



" The church received us on our arrival ; and we were 

 married. The priest had the half of our little treasure 

 for his kindnefs 5 but never was money given v.'ith so much 

 good-will. We thought our troubles were now all at aa 

 end, and that we had nothing more to fearj and indeed 

 we bought eight days' worth of happinefs. 



" This space being elapsed, we sold our Kttle horse j 

 and at the end oflhe first month we had absolutely no- 

 thing. What must we have done ? What must have be- 

 come of us ? I knew no art but that of the hulLandmaii 5r 



