He played a sweet mournful air
which I perceived drew tears from the eyes of his amiable companion,
of which the old man took no notice, until she sobbed audibly; he then
pronounced a few sounds, and the fair creature, leaving her work,
knelt at his feet. He raised her and smiled with such kindness and
affection that I felt sensations of a peculiar and overpowering
nature; they were a mixture of pain and pleasure, such as I had never
before experienced, either from hunger or cold, warmth or food; and I
withdrew from the window, unable to bear these emotions.
"Soon after this the young man returned, bearing on his shoulders a
load of wood. The girl met him at the door, helped to relieve him of
his burden, and taking some of the fuel into the cottage, placed it on
the fire; then she and the youth went apart into a nook of the cottage,
and he showed her a large loaf and a piece of cheese. She seemed
pleased and went into the garden for some roots and plants, which she
placed in water, and then upon the fire. She afterwards continued her
work, whilst the young man went into the garden and appeared busily
employed in digging and pulling up roots. After he had been employed
thus about an hour, the young woman joined him and they entered the
cottage together.
"The old man had, in the meantime, been pensive, but on the appearance
of his companions he assumed a more cheerful air, and they sat down to
eat.
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