The professor’s daughter is sitting alone in the sitting-room, and “humming a song she has learnt by heart.” Then some one knocks at the door, and in steps young Poul with his audacious request; first she will refuse him indignantly: Ere yet a word she uttered She raised her eyes again. Their angry flash should wither That overbold young swain. But, ah, he stood so quiet, With such a modest grace, With features stamped with honour, And such a noble face. Once more the maiden’s glances Looked down, their anger dead, And with a blush delicious She spoke him fair instead. “‘Twas wrong indeed, I take it, That you should boldly dare Address a well-born maiden By stealth with such a prayer. “But if your looks belie not, You good and noble are, And so your path to fortune I should be loth to mar.” Then by the hand she leads him To where the window is, She blushes and she trembles; They interchange a kiss. W. F. H. It would be superfluous to say more about this poem, which I suppose is the most popular of Ploug’s essays in epic narrative. How far the anecdote is historical is uncertain; but with the knowledge we have of his and her character it cannot, in any case, be regarded as improbable. Ploug may thus be right when he says: A kiss has with its gentle flame Once kindled honour’s beacon high; A kiss has given Denmark’s fame A hero’s name that shall not die. W. F. H. In early French literature there is a story somewhat akin to this; it occurs in the old miracle play of “_La Marquise de la Gaudine_.” In her husband’s absence she has been falsely accused of adultery and thrown into prison. Nobody dares to undertake her defence when, suddenly, a knight named Anthenor steps up and offers, with sword in hand, to undertake the defence of her innocence, having a long time back owed her a deep debt of gratitude for having, on one occasion, saved his life by a kiss. He himself tells us naïvely and ingenuously how it happened: “Once upon a time I found myself, as you are aware, in peril of death; the king suspected me and believed I aspired to his wife’s favour. Ah, this was not the case at all, you know. But one day he said he would believe me if I divulged to him who my sweetheart was. I did not know what to do, and to save my life I said that the _marquise_ was my _amie_. He was not, however, content with this, but, as a proof, demanded that I should take her by the waist in his presence and ask her for a kiss. She gave it me and thus saved me from the snare the king had laid. I shall never be able to repay her for what she has done for me.” The kiss of affection is also bestowed on some person or thing that excites detestation and abhorrence.