And the son added himself:—­“My father, O give her!  My heart has
Chosen purely and truly:  she’ll make you an excellent daughter.”

But the father was silent.  Then suddenly rose the good pastor,
And address’d him as follows:—­” One single moment’s decisive
Both of the life of a man, and of the whole of his Future. 
After lengthen’d reflection, each resolution made by him
Is but the work of a moment; the prudent alone seize the right one. 
Nothing more dangerous is, in making a choice, than revolving
First this point and then that, and so confusing the feelings. 
Pure is Hermann’s mind; from his youth I have known him; he never,
Even in boyhood, was wont to extend his hand hither and thither. 
What he desired, was suitable to him; he held to it firmly. 
Be not astonish’d and scared, because there appears on a sudden
What you so long have desired.  ’Tis true the appearance at present
Bears not the shape of the wish, as you in your mind had conceived it. 
For our wishes conceal the thing that we wish for; our gifts too
Come from above upon us, each clad in its own proper figure. 
Do not now mistake the maiden who has succeeded
First in touching the heart of your good wise son, whom you love so. 
Happy is he who is able to clasp the hand of his first love,
And whose dearest wish is not doom’d to pine in his bosom! 
Yes, I can see by his face, already his fate is decided;
True affection converts the youth to a man in a moment. 
He little changeable is; I fear me, if this you deny him,
All the fairest years of his life will be changed into sorrow.”

Then in prudent fashion the druggist, who long had been wanting
His opinion to give, rejoin’d in the following manner
“This is Just a case when the middle course is the wisest! 
‘Hasten slowly,’ you know, was the motto of Caesar Augustus. 
I am always ready to be of use to my neighbours,
And to turn to their profit what little wits I can boast of. 
Youth especially needs the guidance of those who are older. 
Let me then depart; I fain would prove her, that maiden,
And will examine the people ’mongst whom she lives, and who know her. 
I am not soon deceived; I know how to rate their opinions.”

Then forthwith replied the son, with eagerness speaking:—­
“Do so, neighbour, and go, make your inquiries.  However,
I should greatly prefer that our friend, the pastor, went with you;
Two such excellent men are witnesses none can find fault with. 
O, my father! the maiden no vagabond is, I assure you,
No mere adventurer, wand’ring about all over the country,
And deceiving the inexperienced youths with her cunning;
No! the harsh destiny link’d with this war, so destructive of all things,
Which is destroying the world, and already has wholly uprooted
Many a time-honour’d fabric, has driven the poor thing to exile. 
Are not brave men of noble birth now wand’ring