verysoonathirdleafmadeitsappearance.

"whodoesthatstandfor?"thoughthe,andthencameanotherandanother.dayafterday,andweekafterweek,tilltheplantbecamequiteatree.andallthisaboutthetwochildrenwasmirroredtooldanthonyinasingletear,whichcouldsoonbewipedawayanddisappear,butmightcomeagainfromitssourceintheheartoftheoldman.

intheneighborhoodofeisenachstretchesaridgeofstonymountains,oneofwhichhasaroundedoutline,andshowsitselfabovetherestwithouttree,bush,orgrassonitsbarreniscalledthe"venusmountain,"andthestorygoesthatthe"ladyvenus,"oneoftheheathengoddesses,keepshousethere.sheisalsocalled"ladyhalle,"aseverychildroundeisenachwellknows.sheitwaswhoenticedthenobleknight,tannhauser,theminstrel,fromthecircleofsingersatwartburgintohermountain.

littlemollyandanthonyoftenstoodbythismountain,andonedaymollysaid,"doyoudaretoknockandsay,'ladyhalle,ladyhalle,openthedoor:tannhauserishere!'"butanthonydidnoty,however,did,thoughsheonlysaidthewords,"ladyhalle,ladyhalle,"loudlyanddistinctly;therestshemutteredsomuchunderherbreaththatanthonyfeltcertainshehadreallysaidnothing;andyetshelookedquiteboldandsaucy,justasshedidsometimeswhenshewasinthegardenwithanumberofotherlittlegirls;theywouldallstandroundhimtogether,andwanttokisshim,becausehedidnotliketobekissed,andpushedthemaway.thenmollywastheonlyonewhodaredtoresisthim."imaykisshim,"shewouldsayproudly,asshethrewherarmsroundhisneck;shewasvainofherpoweroveranthony,forhewouldsubmitquietlyandthinknothingofit.mollywasverycharming,butratherbold;andhowshedidtease!

theysaidladyhallewasbeautiful,butherbeautywasthatofatemptingfiend.saintelizabeth,thetutelarsaintoftheland,thepiousprincessofthuringia,whosegooddeedshavebeenimmortalizedinsomanyplacesthroughstoriesandlegends,hadgreaterbeautyandmorerealgrace.herpicturehunginthechapel,surroundedbysilverlamps;butitdidnotintheleastresemblemolly.

theapple-tree,whichthetwochildrenhadplanted,grewyearafteryear,tillitbecamesolargethatithadtobetransplantedintothegarden,wherethedewfellandthesunshonewarmly.andthereitincreasedinstrengthsomuchastobeabletowithstandthecoldofwinter;andafterpassingthroughthesevereweather,itseemedtoputforthitsblossomsinspringforveryjoythatthecoldseasonhadgone.inautumnitproducedtwoapples,oneformollyandoneforanthony;itcouldnotwelldoless.thetreeafterthisgrewveryrapidly,andmollygrewwiththetree.shewasasfreshasanapple-blossom,butanthonywasnottobeholdthisflowerforlong.allthingschange;molly'sfatherlefthisoldhome,andmollywentwithhimfaraway.inourtime,itwouldbeonlyajourneyofafewhours,butthenittookmorethanadayandanighttotravelsofareastwardfromeisenbachtoatownstillcalledweimar,onthebordersofthuringia.andmollyandanthonybothwept,butthesetearsallflowedtogetherintoonetearwhichhadtherosyshimmerofyhadtoldhimthatshelovedhim-lovedhimmorethanallthesplendorsofweimar.

one,two,threeyearswentby,andduringthewholetimehereceivedonlytwoletters.onecamebythecarrier,andtheotheratravellerbrought.thewaywasverylonganddifficult,withmanyturningsandwindingsthroughtownsandvillages.howoftenhadanthonyandmollyheardthestoryoftristanandisolda,andanthonyhadthoughtthestoryappliedtohim,althoughtristanmeansborninsorrow,whichanthonycertainlywasnot;norwasitlikelyhewouldeversayofmollyastristansaidofisolda,"shehasforgottenme."butintruth,isoldahadnotforgottenhim,herfaithfulfriend;andwhenbothwerelaidintheirgraves,one,oneachsideofthechurch,thelinden-treesthatgrewbyeachgravespreadovertheroof,and,bendingtowardseachother,mingledtheirblossomsythoughtitaverybeautifulbutmournfulstory;yetheneverfearedanythingsosadwouldhappentohimandmolly,ashepassedthespot,whistlingtheairofasong,composedbytheminstrelwalter,calledthe"willowbird,"beginning-

"underthelinden-trees,

outontheheath."

onestanzapleasedhimexceedingly-

"throughtheforest,andinthevale,

sweetlywarblesthenightingale.

thissongwasofteninhismouth,andhesungorwhistleditonamoonlightnight,whenherodeonhorsebackalongthedeep,hollowway,onhisroadtoweimar,tovisitmolly.hewishedtoarriveunexpectedly,andsoindeedhedid.hewasreceivedwithaheartywelcome,andintroducedtoplentyofgrandandpleasantcompany,whereoverflowingwinecupswerepassedabout.aprettyroomandagoodbedwereprovidedforhim,andyethisreceptionwasnotwhathehadexpectedanddreameditwouldbe.hecouldnotcomprehendhisownfeelingsnorthefeelingsofothers;butitiseasilyunderstoodhowapersoncanbeadmittedintoahouseorafamilywithoutbecomingoneofthem.weconverseincompanywiththosewemeet,asweconversewithourfellow-travellersinastage-coach,onajourney;weknownothingofthem,andperhapsallthewhileweareincommodingoneanother,andeachiswishinghimselforhisneighboraway.somethingofthiskindanthonyfeltwhenmollytalkedtohimofoldtimes.

"iamastraightforwardgirl,"shesaid,"andiwilltellyoumyselfhowitis.therehavebeengreatchangessincewewerechildrentogether;everythingisdifferent,bothinwardlyandoutwardly.wecannotcontrolourwills,northefeelingsofourhearts,bytheforceofcustom.anthony,iwouldnot,fortheworld,makeanenemyofyouwheniamfaraway.believeme,ientertainforyouthekindestwishesinmyheart;buttofeelforyouwhatinowknowcanbefeltforanotherman,canneverbe.youmusttryandreconcileyourselftothis.farewell,anthony."

anthonyalsosaid,"farewell."notatearcameintohiseye;hefelthewasnolongermolly'sfriend.hotironandcoldironaliketaketheskinfromourlips,andwefeelthesamesensationifwekisseither;andanthony'skisswasnowthekissofhatred,asithadoncebeenthekissoflove.withinfour-and-twentyhoursanthonywasbackagaintoeisenach,thoughthehorsethatherodewasentirelyruined.

"whatmattersit?"