—“What!” said she to herself; “can this be a son of the old Henric Melthal? No, no! ’tis certainly some angel, or some saint or martyr at the least. In truth, I never saw one of the beings, to whom those names are applied; but I have been told much respecting such supernatural Existences, and surely if they ever deign to visit the earth in human form, they must needs resemble yonder youth.”— Erwin Melthal appeared to be in earnest conversation with his father: but no sooner was he aware of the approaching guests, than he hastened towards them, and delivered a welcome with such unaffected grace and easy dignity, that Rosanna’s delight and astonishment were raised to the very highest pitch. Tell’s family was in fact the first arrived, and Rosanna’s garland was without a competitor for the honour of adorning Erwin’s head; an honour, which she now no longer looked upon as a matter of indifference, and which she could not have consented to make over to one of her companions without some little movements of jealousy and dissatisfaction. She approached the stranger, while her cheeks were suffused with blushes, and her hand trembled, as she drew the garland from her arm. He stood before her like some well grown cedar, and bowed down his head a little to be crowned by the lovely stranger. She hesitated, retired a few steps, and looked anxiously round to her female companions, as if she would willingly have given up her office to one of them: while Erwin, either out of respect and admiration at the heavenly vision which now stood manifest before him, or from the more earthly consideration of the difference between her stature and his own, sank upon one knee before her, and in this attitude was crowned by her trembling hands. It was an established custom, that the conductress of the first company that arrived, on these occasions should be the partner of the king of the festival during the whole of the day. Rosanna, who loved to enjoy the earliest breath of morning and the glories of the rising sun, had already frequently obtained this privilege without its causing her much emotion; but now when she reflected, that for a whole day she should be by the side of Erwin Melthal; that she should kneel on the same step with him at church; should join at the same time and almost in the same breath with him in the most solemn offices of devotion; should blend her voice with his in prayers and anthems; and that at table, in the dance, at every kind of festivity, she should still have no associate but Erwin, all this was too much for her to conceive at once, and her feelings scarcely permitted her to breathe.