shesaid.inthegardenstoodatthattimeararetree,whichsheherselfhadplanted.itwascalledtheblood-beech-akindofnegrogrowingamongtheothertrees,sodarkbrownweretheleaves.thistreerequiredmuchsunshine,forincontinualshadeitwouldbecomebrightgreenliketheothertrees,andthusloseitsdistinctivecharacter.intheloftychestnuttreesweremanybirds'nests,andalsointhethicketsandinthegrassymeadows.itseemedasthoughthebirdsknewthattheywereprotectedhere,andthatnoonemustfireagunatthem.

littlemariecameherewithsoren.heknewhowtoclimb,aswehavealreadysaid,andeggsandfluffy-featheredyoungbirdswerebroughtdown.thebirds,greatandsmall,flewaboutinterrorandtribulation;thepeewitfromthefields,andthecrowsanddawsfromthehightrees,screamedandscreamed;itwasjustsuchdinasthefamilywillraisetothepresentday.

"whatareyoudoing,youchildren?"criedthegentlelady;"thatissinful!"

sorenstoodabashed,andeventhelittlegraciousladylookeddownalittle;butthenhesaid,quiteshortandpretty,

"myfatherletsmedoit!"

"craw-craw!away-awayfromhere!"criedthegreatblackbirds,andtheyflewaway;butonthefollowingdaytheycameback,fortheywereathomehere.

thequietgentleladydidnotremainlongathomehereonearth,forthegoodgodcalledheraway;and,indeed,herhomewasratherwithhimthanintheknightlyhouse;andthechurchbellstolledsolemnlywhenhercorpsewascarriedtothechurch,andtheeyesofthepoorpeoplewerewetwithtears,forshehadbeengoodtothem.

whenshewasgone,nooneattendedtoherplantations,andthegardenrantowaste.grubbetheknightwasahardman,theysaid;buthisdaughter,youngasshewas,knewhowtomanagehim.heusedtolaughandletherhaveherway.shewasnowtwelveyearsold,andstronglybuilt.shelookedthepeoplethroughandthroughwithherblackeyes,rodeherhorseasbravelyasaman,andcouldfireoffhergunlikeapracticedhunter.

onedaythereweregreatvisitorsintheneighborhood,thegrandestvisitorswhocouldcome.theyoungking,andhishalf-brotherandcomrade,thelordulricfrederickgyldenlowe.theywantedtohuntthewildboar,andtopassafewdaysatthecastleofgrubbe.

gyldenlowesatattablenexttomariegrubbe,andhetookherbythehandandgaveherakiss,asifshehadbeenarelation;butshegavehimaboxontheear,andtoldhimshecouldnotbearhim,atwhichtherewasgreatlaughter,asifthathadbeenaveryamusingthing.

andperhapsitwasveryamusing,for,fiveyearsafterwards,whenmariehadfulfilledherseventeenthyear,amessengerarrivedwithaletter,inwhichlordgyldenloweproposedforthehandofthenobleyounglady.therewasathingforyou!

"heisthegrandestandmostgallantgentlemaninthewholecountry,"saidgrubbetheknight;"thatisnotathingtodespise."

"idon'tcaresoverymuchabouthim,"saidmariegrubbe;butshedidnotdespisethegrandestmanofallthecountry,whosatbytheking'sside.

silverplate,andfinelinenandwoollen,wentofftocopenhageninaship,whilethebridemadethejourneybylandintendays.buttheoutfitmetwithcontrarywinds,orwithnowindsatall,forfourmonthspassedbeforeitarrived;andwhenitcame,myladygyldenlowewasgone.

"i'dratherlieoncoarsesackingthanlieinhissilkenbeds,"shedeclared."i'dratherwalkbarefootthandrivewithhiminacoach!"