fire.  I ought to have mentioned, that my father and the huntsman Wilfred, slept in another portion of the cottage, and that the bed which he formerly occupied, and which was in the same room as ours, had been given up to the use of Christina.  These visitors had been about three weeks at the cottage, when, one night, after we children had been sent to bed, a consultation was held.  My father had asked Christina in marriage, and had obtained both her own consent and that of Wilfred; after this a conversation took place, which was, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows:—­

“’You may take my child, Mynheer Krantz, and my blessing with her, and I shall then leave you and seek some other habitation—­it matters little where.’

“‘Why not remain here, Wilfred?’

“’No, no, I am called elsewhere; let that suffice, and ask no more questions.  You have my child.’

“’I thank you for her, and will duly value her; but there is one difficulty.’

“’I know what you would say; there is no priest here in this wild country:  true; neither is there any law to bind; still must some ceremony pass between you, to satisfy a father.  Will you consent to marry her after my fashion? if so, I will marry you directly.’

“‘I will,’ replied my father.

“‘Then take her by the hand.  Now, Mynheer, swear.’

“‘I swear,’ repeated my father.

“‘By all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains—­’

“‘Nay, why not by Heaven?’ interrupted my father.

“‘Because it is not my humour,’ rejoined Wilfred; ’if I prefer that oath, less binding perhaps, than another, surely you will not thwart me.’

“’Well, be it so then; have your humour.  Will you make me swear by that in which I do not believe?’

“‘Yet many do so, who in outward appearance are Christians,’ rejoined Wilfred; ’say, will you be married, or shall I take my daughter away with me?’

“‘Proceed,’ replied my father, impatiently.

“’I swear by all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains, by all their power for good or for evil, that I take Christina for my wedded wife; that I will ever protect her, cherish her, and love her; that my hand shall never be raised against her to harm her.’

“My father repeated the words after Wilfred.

“’And if I fail in this my vow, may all the vengeance of the spirits fall upon me and upon my children; may they perish by the vulture, by the wolf, or other beasts of the forest; may their flesh be torn from their limbs, and their bones blanch in the wilderness; all this I swear.’

“My father hesitated, as he repeated the last words; little Marcella could not restrain herself, and as my father repeated the last sentence, she burst into tears.  This sudden interruption appeared to discompose the party, particularly my father; he spoke harshly to the child, who controlled her sobs, burying her face under the bedclothes.