Ida, judging by her own attachment to the deceased Erwin, agreed, that to banish from the heart the image of an adored lover was quite impossible: and Elizabeth was so well-pleased with her friend’s mode of reasoning, that she embraced her with redoubled affection. Ida advised her by no means to give up Count Henry; and Elizabeth on the other hand promised solemnly to follow that advice, which was so perfectly in unison with her own inclinations. —“I am grieved to think,” said Elizabeth, “that probably in future we shall be suffered to meet but seldom! I have already received some hints, that my parents suspect you of not giving me such counsels, as they could wish; and yet in the present situation of my affairs it is so necessary for me to possess some feeling heart, to whom I can apply for sympathy and advice!—However, we shall still be able to correspond privately; and those communications may be made in writing, which the enemies of our friendship forbid us to impart in conversation.”— Ida unluckily knew nothing of the art of writing on her first arrival at the Castle of Torrenburg; and since that time she had made but little progress under the tuition of Father Hilarius. She blushed, while she confest this ignorance; however, on examination Elizabeth was of opinion, that her friend was already sufficiently advanced to answer all necessary purposes. —“I shall require no circumstantial answers from you,” said she; “a single expressive word will be enough to convey to me your opinion of my situation, and guide me in my difficulties: a “yes” or “no” will in general be sufficient to decide my conduct. On my side, I will take care to write so large a hand that it can be easily read, and to express myself in a manner that shall be intelligible only to yourself. Then if you are _quite_ at a loss respecting any part of my letters, you may show the isolated passage to your chaplain Father Hilarius. He is a simple good kind of man, whose understanding is not keen enough to pierce through our mystery, and who may easily be deceived by two young girls with all their wits about them.”—