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R Graphs Cookbook Second Edition
Table of Contents
R Graphs Cookbook Second Edition
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Support files, eBooks, discount offers, and more
Why subscribe?
Free access for Packt account holders
Preface
What this book covers
What you need for this book
Who this book is for
Conventions
Reader feedback
Customer support
Downloading the example code
Errata
Piracy
Questions
1. R Graphics
Base graphics using the default package
Trellis graphs using lattice
Graphs inspired by Grammar of Graphics
2. Basic Graph Functions
Introduction
Creating basic scatter plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more…
A note on R’s built-in datasets
See also
Creating line graphs
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating histograms and density plots
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating box plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Adjusting x and y axes’ limits
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating heat maps
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating pairs plots
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating multiple plot matrix layouts
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Adding and formatting legends
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating graphs with maps
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Saving and exporting graphs
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
 See also
3. Beyond the Basics – Adjusting Key Parameters
Introduction
Setting colors of points, lines, and bars
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Setting plot background colors
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Setting colors for text elements – axis annotations, labels, plot titles, and legends
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Choosing color combinations and palettes
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Setting fonts for annotations and titles
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Choosing plotting point symbol styles and sizes
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Choosing line styles and width
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
See also
Choosing box styles
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Adjusting axis annotations and tick marks
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Formatting log axes
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Setting graph margins and dimensions
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 See also
4. Creating Scatter Plots
Introduction
Grouping data points within a scatter plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Highlighting grouped data points by size and symbol type
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Labeling data points
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Correlation matrix using pairs plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Adding error bars
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Using jitter to distinguish closely packed data points
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Adding linear model lines
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Adding nonlinear model curves
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Adding nonparametric model curves with lowess
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Creating three-dimensional scatter plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating Quantile-Quantile plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Displaying the data density on axes
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating scatter plots with a smoothed density representation
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more…
5. Creating Line Graphs and Time Series Charts
Introduction
Adding customized legends for multiple-line graphs
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Using margin labels instead of legends for multiple-line graphs
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Adding horizontal and vertical grid lines
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Adding marker lines at specific x and y values using abline
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating sparklines
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Plotting functions of a variable in a dataset
Getting ready
 How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Formatting time series data for plotting
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Plotting the date or time variable on the x axis
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Annotating axis labels in different human-readable time formats
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Adding vertical markers to indicate specific time events
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Plotting data with varying time-averaging periods
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Creating stock charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more…
6. Creating Bar, Dot, and Pie Charts
Introduction
Creating bar charts with more than one factor variable
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
See also
Creating stacked bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Adjusting the orientation of bars – horizontal and vertical
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Adjusting bar widths, spacing, colors, and borders
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Displaying values on top of or next to the bars
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Placing labels inside bars
Getting ready
 How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating bar charts with vertical error bars
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Modifying dot charts by grouping variables
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Making better, readable pie charts with clockwise-ordered slices
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
See also
Labeling a pie chart with percentage values for each slice
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Adding a legend to a pie chart
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
7. Creating Histograms
Introduction
Visualizing distributions as count frequencies or probability densities
 Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Setting the bin size and the number of breaks
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Adjusting histogram styles – bar colors, borders, and axes
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Overlaying a density line over a histogram
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Multiple histograms along the diagonal of a pairs plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Histograms in the margins of line and scatter plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
8. Box and Whisker Plots
Introduction
Creating box plots with narrow boxes for a small number of variables
Getting ready
How to do it…
 How it works…
There’s more
See also
Grouping over a variable
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Varying box widths by the number of observations
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Creating box plots with notches
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Including or excluding outliers
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
See also
Creating horizontal box plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Changing the box styling
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more
Adjusting the extent of plot whiskers outside the box
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Showing the number of observations
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Splitting a variable at arbitrary values into subsets
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
9. Creating Heat Maps and Contour Plots
Introduction
Creating heat maps of a single Z variable with a scale
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Creating correlation heat maps
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Summarizing multivariate data in a single heat map
Getting ready
 How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Creating contour plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Creating filled contour plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Creating three-dimensional surface plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Visualizing time series as calendar heat maps
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
10. Creating Maps
Introduction
Plotting global data by countries on a world map
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more
See also
Creating graphs with regional maps
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Plotting data on Google maps
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Creating and reading KML data
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
See Also
Working with ESRI shapefiles
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
11. Data Visualization Using Lattice
Introduction
Creating bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating stacked bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating bar charts to visualize cross-tabulation
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating a conditional histogram
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Visualizing distributions through a kernel-density plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating a normal Q-Q plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Visualizing an empirical Cumulative Distribution Function
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
 There’s more…
Creating a boxplot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating a conditional scatter plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
12. Data Visualization Using ggplot2
Introduction
Creating bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating multiple bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Creating a bar chart with error bars
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Visualizing the density of a numeric variable
 Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating a box plot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Creating a layered plot with a scatter plot and fitted line
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Creating a line chart
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Graph annotation with ggplot
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
13. Inspecting Large Datasets
Introduction
Multivariate continuous data visualization
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also
Multivariate categorical data visualization
 Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Visualizing mixed data
Getting ready
How to do it…
Zooming and filtering
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
14. Three-dimensional Visualizations
Introduction
Three-dimensional scatter plots
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
See also…
Three-dimensional scatter plots with a regression plane
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more…
Three-dimensional bar charts
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
Three-dimensional density plots
Getting ready
 How to do it…
How it works…
15. Finalizing Graphs for Publications and Presentations
Introduction
Exporting graphs in high-resolution image formats – PNG, JPEG, BMP, and TIFF
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Exporting graphs in vector formats – SVG, PDF, and PS
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Adding mathematical and scientific notations (typesetting)
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Adding text descriptions to graphs
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Using graph templates
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Choosing font families and styles under Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
 Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
See also
Choosing fonts for PostScripts and PDFs
Getting ready
How to do it…
How it works…
There’s more
Index
 Another Random Document on
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her repeated knock. Not only were the curtains here drawn, but the
shutters also were closed as she saw when she gently opened the
door. The profound quiet and the darkness deterred her from
entering, and she was about to shut the door again when Helene, in
a weak voice, called to her to enter. The little lady lay on a couch at
the farther end of the room, her head resting on a white pillow, and
Elizabeth could hear that her teeth were chattering as if with cold.
"Ah, dear child," she said, and laid her cold, damp hand upon
her young friend's arm, "I have had a nervous attack. None of my
people have observed that I am lying here so ill, and it has been
terribly lonely in this dark room. Pray open the windows wide,—I
need air, the warm air of heaven."
Elizabeth immediately did as she desired, and when the daylight
streamed in upon the pale face of the invalid, it revealed traces of
violent weeping.
The sunshine aroused more life and motion in the room than
Elizabeth had anticipated; she was startled by a loud scream which
proceeded from one corner. There she discovered a cockatoo, with
snow-white plumage and a brilliant yellow crest, swinging to and fro
upon a ring.
"Heavens! what a fearful noise!" sighed Helene, pressing her
little hands upon her ears. "That terrible bird will tear my nerves to
pieces!"
Elizabeth's glance rested amazed upon the little stranger, and
then explored the rest of the apartment, which looked like a bazaar.
Upon tables and chairs were lying costly stuffs, shawls, richly-bound
books, and all kinds of toilet articles. Fräulein von Walde noticed
Elizabeth's look, and said briefly, with averted face: "All presents
from my brother, who returned home quite unexpectedly yesterday."
How cold her voice was as she said it! And there was not the
slightest hint of pleasure to be discovered in her features, swollen
with weeping; the large eyes, usually so soft and gentle, expressed
only vexation and annoyance.
Elizabeth stooped silently and picked up a gorgeous bouquet of
camellias, that was lying half faded upon the floor.
"Oh yes," said Helene, sitting up, while a slight flush appeared
on her cheeks, "that is my brother's good-morning to me; it fell
down from the table, and I forgot it. Pray put it in that vase there."
"Poor flowers," said Elizabeth, half aloud, as she looked at the
brown edges of the white petals, "they never dreamed when they
opened their tender buds, that they were to bloom in such a cold
atmosphere!"
Helene looked up into her friend's face with a searching,
troubled glance, and for an instant her eyes expressed regret. "Put
the flowers on the sill of the open window," she whispered quickly,
"the air there will do them good. Oh, heavens!" she cried, sinking
back among her cushions. "He is certainly a most excellent man, but
his sudden return has destroyed the harmony of our delightful home
life."
Elizabeth looked almost incredulously at the little lady who lay
there, her clasped hands raised, and her eyes lifted to heaven, as if
fate had decreed her a most bitter trial. If she had failed yesterday
to find the key to Helene's conduct, she was certainly more puzzled
than ever to-day by this incomprehensible character. What had
become of all those sentiments of fervent gratitude that had
breathed from every word whenever Helene had spoken of her
absent brother? Had all the sisterly tenderness which had seemed to
fill her heart vanished in a single moment, so that she now lamented
what, according to her own words, she had so lately regarded as the
most delightful thing that could happen? Even supposing that the
returned brother did not sympathize with the circle in which alone
she felt happy, if he should oppose her dearest wishes, was it
possible that coldness and anger could exist between two beings
whom fate had bound together by so close a tie, a tie which must
bring them all the nearer to each other, since one was so helpless,
and the other so alone in the world? Elizabeth suddenly felt
profound pity for the man who had sailed on distant seas and
wandered through strange lands so long, only to be greeted as a
disturbing element when he once more appeared at his own fireside.
Apparently there was one tender spot in his proud heart, love for his
sister; how deeply wounded he must be that she had no loving
welcome for him, and that her heart was cold and hard towards him!
Occupied with these thoughts, Elizabeth arranged the flowers in
the vase. She returned not a syllable to Helene's outbreak, which
had so maligned her brother to stranger ears. And Helene herself,
shamed probably by Elizabeth's silence, seemed to be conscious that
she had lost her self-control, for she suddenly, in an altered voice,
begged her to take a chair and stay with her for awhile.
At this moment the door was violently flung open, and a female
figure appeared upon the threshold. Elizabeth was at some trouble
to recognize in this apparition in its neglected, careless dress,
betraying every sign of great agitation, the Baroness Lessen. Her
scanty locks, usually so carefully arranged, were streaming from
under a morning-cap across her forehead, no longer white and
smooth as ivory, but flushing scarlet. The stereotyped self-
satisfaction had vanished from her eyes, and she presented a most
insignificant appearance as she looked shyly into the room!
"Ah, Helene!" she cried anxiously, without noticing Elizabeth,
and her corpulent figure advanced with unwonted rapidity. "Rudolph
has just sent for the unfortunate Linke to come to his room, and he
abused the poor man so violently and loudly that I heard him in my
bed-room on the other side of the court—Heavens! how wretched I
am! The morning has agitated me so that I can scarcely stand, but I
could not listen to such injustice any longer, and sought refuge here.
And those servile wretches, the other servants, who, while Rudolph
was away, scarcely dared to wink their eyes,—there they stand now
boldly beneath the windows, taking a malicious pleasure in the
misfortunes that are befalling a faithful servant. Everything is
destroyed that I had arranged so carefully and with such pains for
the salvation of this household. And Emil is at Odenberg! How
miserable and forlorn we are, dearest Helene!"
She threw her arms around the neck of the little lady, who
started up pale as ashes. Elizabeth took advantage of this moment
to slip out of the room.
As she passed along the corridor leading to the vestibule she
heard some one speaking loudly. It was a deep, sonorous, manly
voice, which grew louder now and then under the influence of
excitement, but there was no sharpness in its tones even when they
were loudest. Although she could not distinguish a word, the tone
thrilled through her,—there was something inexorable in the
intonation of the emphasized sentences.
 The echo in the long corridor was deceptive. Elizabeth did not
know whence the voice proceeded, and she therefore ran forwards
quickly that she might the sooner reach the open air. But after a few
steps she heard, as though the speaker were directly beside her, the
words, "To-morrow evening you will leave Lindhof."
"But, most gracious Herr!"—was the answer.
"I have nothing else to say to you! now go!" was uttered in a
commanding tone; and just then Elizabeth, to her terror, found
herself opposite a wide-open folding door. The tall figure of a man
stood in the middle of the room, his left hand behind him, and his
right pointing to the door. A pair of flashing, dark eyes met her own
as she passed hastily through the vestibule and into the garden. It
seemed as if that look, in which there glowed an indignant soul,
pursued her and drove her onward.
As the Ferber family were sitting at supper, her father told with
expressions of pleasure how he had made the acquaintance of Herr
von Walde that day at the Lodge.
"Well, and how does he please you?" asked his wife.
"That is a question, dear child, that I might be able to answer if
I should happen to have daily intercourse with him for a year or so,
although even then I cannot tell whether I should be able to give a
satisfactory reply. The man is very interesting to me—as one is
continually tempted to try to discover whether he really is what he
appears,—a perfectly cold, passionless nature. He came to my
brother to learn the particulars concerning the affair between his
superintendent and the poor labourer's widow, because he had been
informed that Sabina had been an eye-witness of the ill treatment
she had received. Sabina was obliged to tell how she discovered the
poor woman. He asked about everything, even the smallest
circumstance, but in a very short, decided manner. What impression
Sabina's account made upon him no one could tell; his looks were
utterly impenetrable, not the smallest change of countenance
betrayed his thoughts. He comes directly from Spain. From the few
remarks that he let fall, I judge that his sudden return to Thuringia
is owing to a letter from some one of his friends here, telling him of
the mismanagement of affairs upon his estate and the unhappiness
among his tenantry."
"And his exterior?" asked Frau Ferber.
"Is pleasing, although I have never seen so much reserve and
inaccessibility expressed in a man's bearing I entirely understand
how he has the reputation of boundless haughtiness; and yet I
cannot, on the other hand, convince myself that such exceeding folly
can lurk behind such remarkably intellectual features. His face
always wears the look of cold repose of which I have spoken; but,
between the eyebrows, there is what I might call an involuntary,
unguarded expression of what a superficial observer might think
sternness; to me it seems settled melancholy."
Elizabeth listened thoughtfully to this description. She had
already learned how that cold repose could be entirely laid aside for
a time, and she told her father of the scene which she had
witnessed.
"Then sentence has been passed sooner than I anticipated,"
said Ferber. "Possibly your uncle may have done his part towards this
end by his strong language,—he does not hesitate when asked for
an opinion. He was so frank with Herr von Walde, that he felt quite
relieved and retained not an iota in his heart of all that had been
vexing him in the course of the past year."

CHAPTER X.

Scarcely a week had passed since the evening mentioned in the last
chapter, but these few days had brought about great changes in the
household at the castle of Lindhof. The dismissed superintendent
had already been replaced by a new man, whose power, however,
was very limited, as Herr von Walde had undertaken the chief
oversight of affairs himself. Several day-labourers who had been
summarily dismissed, either because they were warm adherents of
the village pastor, and had, on account of their work, been
frequently absent from prayers at the castle, or because they did not
care to listen to the chaplain's sermons, were again working on the
estate.
The day before, Sunday, Herr von Walde, accompanied by the
Baroness Lessen and little Bella, had attended service in the village
church at Lindhof. To the surprise of all, the chaplain, Herr Möhring,
had appeared in the organ-loft as one of the audience, and at noon
the worthy pastor had taken dinner with the family at Castle Lindhof.
Doctor Fels paid daily visits there, for Fräulein von Walde was sick.
That was the reason why Elizabeth had not been requested to give
her another lesson, and also, as the forester said, why the Baroness
Lessen "had not been banished to Siberia, for," said he, "Herr von
Walde would not be such a savage as to make his ailing sister still
more ailing, by depriving her of the society which was dearest to her.
He knew that if his mother left, Herr von Hollfeld's visits would also
cease." It was malicious to say so, but, as he added,
"incontrovertibly just."
In the village it was well known that it had required several
terrible tempests to clear the air at Castle Lindhof. For the first three
days after his arrival Herr von Walde had taken his meals alone in
his private apartments, and the letters which the baroness' waiting-
maid had delivered to him, at all times of the day, from her mistress,
were returned unopened, until at last the violent illness of his sister
had brought about a meeting between her brother and her cousin by
her bedside. Since that day intercourse had again been apparently
established between the two, although the servants declared that
they exchanged scarcely a word at table. Herr von Hollfeld had been
over once to greet the returned traveller, but it was observed that he
rode away with a perceptibly lengthened face, after a very short
stay.
On a melancholy, rainy day in August, Elizabeth was again
requested by Fräulein von Walde to spend half an hour with her at
the castle. The lady was not alone when she entered the room. Herr
von Walde sat in the recess by the window. His tall figure was
leaning back on a couch, his head nearly touching the light-coloured
wall behind him, so that his dark-brown hair stood out in strong
relief against it. His right hand, which carelessly held a cigar, was
resting upon the window-sill, while his left was raised as if he had
just been speaking. His neighbour, the Baroness Lessen, was
bending towards him, and, with a most winning smile upon her face,
seemed to be listening intently to his words, although, as it
appeared, they were not addressed to her, but to Helene. She was
sitting tolerably near him, and had some crochet work in her hand.
Fräulein von Walde was lying upon a lounge. A full dressing-gown
entirely enveloped her small figure, and her beautiful brown curls
escaped from beneath a morning-cap, trimmed with pink ribbons,
which heightened, by force of contrast, the pallor of her
countenance. The cockatoo was perched upon her hand, and from
time to time she held him caressingly to her cheek. "The terrible
bird" was now called "darling," and might scream as loud as it liked,
—it was only soothed by a tender "What's the matter with my pet?"
Here, then, all was peace and reconciliation.
Upon Elizabeth's entrance Helene beckoned to her kindly, but it
did not escape her that there was a slight embarrassment in the
little lady's manner.
"Dear Rudolph," she said, as she took Elizabeth's hand, "let me
present you to the delightful artiste to whom I owe so many
pleasant hours,—Fräulein Ferber, called by her uncle, and in all the
country around, Gold Elsie. She plays so deliciously that I entreat her
to make us forget the gray and gloomy skies above us this
afternoon. You see, dear child," she continued, turning to Elizabeth,
"that I am still too weak to assist you at the piano; will you have the
great kindness to play something alone for us?"
"With all my heart," replied Elizabeth. "But I shall play timidly,
for there are two formidable powers to oppose me,—the gloomy
heavens, and the favourable expectations that you have awakened
of my performance."
"Pray allow me to excuse myself for an hour," said the baroness,
as she collected her working materials and arose; "I should like to
drive out with Bella,—it is so long since the poor child has taken the
air."
"Really, I should suppose that she could easily take it here at
any time, by simply putting her head out of the window," said Herr
von Walde dryly, knocking the ashes from his cigar as he spoke.
"Heavens! are you unwilling, Rudolph, that I should take a
drive? I will instantly remain at home, if——"
"I can conceive of no reason why I should be unwilling. Drive as
often and as much as you like," was the indifferent reply.
The baroness compressed her lips, and turned to Helene: "We
have decided, then, to take coffee in my room. I shall not stay out
long, on account of the mist. I shall be back punctually in an hour,
and shall depend upon the pleasure of conducting you to my room
myself, dearest Helene."
"That pleasure you must resign," said Herr von Walde. "It has
been my office for many years, and I hope my sister does not think
me grown too awkward during my absence to discharge it."
"Most certainly not, dear Rudolph; I shall be greatly obliged, if
you will be so kind," cried Helene, quickly, looking anxiously from
one to the other.
The baroness conquered her vexation bravely. She held out her
hand to Herr von Walde, with a smile of great sweetness, kissed
Helene upon the cheek, and rustled out of the room with an "au
revoir."
During this conversation, Elizabeth observed more closely the
features of the man, whose glance and voice had impressed her so
profoundly. It is true, her terror, for really the emotion caused by her
first meeting with him was nothing less, had been renewed for a
moment, as on entering she caught sight of Herr von Walde. How
quiet the eyes were now, which had seemed before to flash fire; his
look, as it rested upon the baroness, was icy cold. With this
expression in his eyes, the upper part of his face, which bore the
stamp of great sternness, grew to iron. A carefully arranged
chestnut-brown moustache covered his upper lip, and his beard;
which was unusually fine and silky, fell in soft waves upon his chest.
Herr von Walde did not look young, and although his well-knit figure
had preserved all its elasticity, there was that indescribable
composure and self-possession in his whole manner and heaping
peculiar to the man of riper age, and which inspires involuntary
respect.
When the baroness had left the room, Elizabeth opened the
piano.
"No, no! no notes!" Helene cried to her, as she saw her turning
over the music-sheets. "We want to hear your own fancies; pray
extemporize."
Elizabeth seated herself immediately, and soon the outer world
was all forgotten by her. A wealth of melody welled up in her soul,
which carried it far aloft. At such moments she knew that she was
gifted beyond thousands of her fellow-mortals, for she had the
power of giving expression to the most hidden emotions of her
heart. The purity of her whole inner world was mirrored in sound;
she had never been obliged to seek for a melody which should
embody her feeling, it lay ready in her soul,—ready as the feeling
itself. But to-day there was something blended with the tones that
she could not herself comprehend; she could not possibly pursue
and analyze it, for it breathed almost imperceptibly across the waves
of sound. It seemed as though joy and woe no longer moved side by
side, but melted together into one. As she was herself impressed by
this strange presence, she penetrated still deeper into her world of
feeling,—gradually the clear depths of her pure, maidenly soul were
revealed to the listeners; they stood, as it were, by some
transparent, magic fountain, and saw within its quiet waters the
lovely form of the young girl reflected, with twofold distinctness, for
there was a perfect harmony between her exterior and her interior
being.
The last faint chord died away. Large tear-drops hung from
Helene's lashes, and her pallor was almost supernatural. She
glanced towards her brother, but he had turned his face away, and
was gazing out into the garden. When at last he looked towards her,
his features were as calm as ever, only a slight flush coloured his
brow; the cigar had dropped from his fingers and lay upon the
ground. He said not one word concerning her playing to Elizabeth,
as she rose from the piano. Helene, whom this silence distressed,
exhausted herself in flattering expressions, that she might induce
her young friend to forget, or, at least, not to notice the coldness
and indifference which her brother displayed.
"Was it not delicious?" she cried. "The people in B—— could
have had no idea of the golden fountain of music bubbling up in
Elsie's heart, or they would never have allowed her to wander into
the Thuringian forest."
"Have you lived until now in B——?" asked Herr von Walde,
fixing his eyes upon Elizabeth. She met his gaze for an instant; the
ice had all melted, and was replaced by a wondrous radiance.
"Yes," she answered, simply.
 "It was a sad experience to come suddenly from a large
beautiful city, which offers every imaginable diversion and
enjoyment, to the silent forest, and live upon a lonely mountain. You
were, of coarse, inconsolable at the exchange?"
"I regarded it as a piece of undeserved good fortune," was the
unembarrassed reply.
"Indeed? Most strange! It seems to me that one would hardly
choose the thistle when the rose might be had."
"Of course, I cannot presume to pass judgment upon your
opinions."
"True, because you do not know me; but my idea is almost
universal."
"Yet surely it is very one-sided."
"Well, then, I will not combat further your peculiar taste, with
which you would scarcely find any one to sympathize among
companions of your own age. I will rather believe, for your credit,
that it was not so easy to leave your friends."
"But it was very easy, for I had none."
"Is that possible?" cried Fräulein von Walde. "Did you have no
intercourse with any one?"
"Oh, yes, with the people who paid me."
"You gave lessons?" asked Herr von Walde.
"Yes."
"But did you never feel the want of a female friend?" cried
Helene quickly.
"Never, for I have a mother," replied Elizabeth in a tone of deep
feeling.
"Happy child!" she murmured, and drooped her head.
 Elizabeth felt that she had unwittingly touched a sore place in
Helene's heart. She was sorry, and longed to efface the impression.
Herr von Walde seemed to read her thoughts in her face, for,
without noticing Helene's emotion, he asked: "And did you desire to
live in the Thuringian forest especially?"
"Yes."
"And why?"
"Because I had been told from my earliest childhood that my
family had its origin in the Thuringian forest."
"Ah, yes, you belong to the Gnadewitzes."
"My mother's name was Gnadewitz. I am a Ferber," answered
Elizabeth, with decision.
"You say that as if you were thankful that you did not bear the
name of Gnadewitz."
"I am thankful for it."
"Hm!—in its time it has made a fine noise in the world."
"None pleasant to hear."
"Why, what would you have? At every court it was pure gold, for
it was very old, and the last of those who bore it were heaped with
dignities and honours, on account of the antiquity of their name."
"Pardon me, but I cannot possibly understand how—" she
blushed, and was silent.
"Go on; you have begun the sentence, and I depend upon
hearing the end."
"Well, then, how sin can be honoured, because it is old," she
rejoined, with hesitation.
"Softly! they say that several of the Gnadewitz lineage were
brave and true."
 "That may be; but is there not great injustice in the idea of
rewarding their merit, centuries after, by honouring those who are
neither good nor true?"
"Should not noble deeds live forever?"
"Most certainly; but, if we refuse to emulate them, we certainly
are not worthy to share in their rewards," was Elizabeth's prompt
answer.
A carriage rolled up the avenue. Herr von Walde frowned, and
passed his hand across his eyes as if he had been rudely awakened
from a dream. In a moment the door opened, and the baroness
entered. She, as well as Bella, who was walking by her mother's side
to-day with quite an air of grown-up dignity, had not yet laid aside
her bonnet and mantle.
"I am glad to be at home again," she cried. "The air to-day is
horrible. I repented a hundred times having left the house, and shall
probably atone for my maternal solicitude by a heavy cold. Bella was
so anxious to see for herself how you are, dear Helene, that I
allowed her to come in with me."
The child went directly up to the lounge. She did not appear to
notice Elizabeth, who was sitting close by, and brushed past her so
rudely, as she bent to kiss Helene's hand, that a button upon her
sack caught in the delicate trimming of Elizabeth's dress and tore it.
Bella lifted her head and glanced at the mischief she had done; then
she turned and went across to Herr von Walde to give him her hand.
"Well," said he, withholding his hand, "have you no apology to
make for your awkwardness?"
She made no reply, and retired to the side of her mother, upon
whose cheeks the ominous red spots appeared. The look which she
cast upon Elizabeth showed that her daughter was not the cause of
her irritation.
"Well, child, can't you speak?" asked Herr von Walde, rising.
"Fräulein Ferber sat so close," said the baroness in a tone of
excuse, as Bella continued obstinately silent.
"Indeed, I should have moved aside. There is no great harm
done," said Elizabeth, and she held out her hand to Bella with an
enchanting smile. But the child took no notice of it, and hid both her
hands in her dress.
Without a word, Herr von Walde approached her, took her by
the arm, and led her directly to the door, which he opened. "Go
instantly to your room," he said, "and do not come where I am again
unless I particularly desire you to do so."
The baroness was raging inwardly. Her countenance worked for
a moment, but what could she do? She was powerless to contend
with the violence and barbarism of this man, who was master here,
and who now took his seat again with a composure that betrayed an
utter unconsciousness of the cruelty of his behaviour. Her prudence
obtained the upper hand.
"I hope, dear Rudolph," said she, and her voice trembled a little,
"that you will not reckon this slight misdemeanour against Bella.
Pray, make some allowance,—it is all the fault of her governess."
"Miss Mertens? Indeed, it must have cost her, with her innate
gentleness and refinement, infinite pains to train Bella to conduct
herself as she has just done."
The baroness blushed scarlet; but she controlled herself.
"Heavens!" she cried, determined to change the subject; "this stupid
circumstance has made me forget to tell you that Emil has ridden
over from Odenberg. He got wet through on horseback, and is just
changing his dress. May he pay his respects?"
Helene's cheeks glowed, and a ray of happiness shot from her
eyes; but she said not a word, only drooping her face so as to
conceal every sign of her inward agitation.
"Certainly," replied Herr von Walde. "Does he intend to make
some stay here?"
"He will be here for a few days, with your permission."
"By all means. Then we shall see him in your room when we
come to take coffee."
"He will be most happy. Will you not come immediately? My
maid tells me that all is in readiness there to receive you."
Elizabeth arose, and prepared to take her leave. Herr von
Walde, as soon as he saw this, looked inquiringly at the baroness.
Doubtless he expected that she would extend an invitation to the
young girl, but just at this moment the lady discovered that the
gardener's arrangement of the flower-stand in the window was "too
charming," and in enraptured contemplation of a bunch of azaleas
she turned her back upon Elizabeth.
Fräulein Ferber courtesied profoundly and left the room, after
Helene had repeated, in a trembling voice, her expressions of
gratitude. Without, in the corridor, she met Herr von Hollfeld. At
sight of her he quickened his pace, casting a lightning glance around
to assure himself that no listener was near. Before she was aware of
it, he had seized Elizabeth's hand, imprinted a glowing kiss upon it,
and whispered: "How rejoiced I am to see you once more!"
Her astonishment was so great that she could not at first find a
word to say. She drew back her hand as though she had been stung,
and he accepted her repulse, because at that very moment the door
of Helene's room opened, and Herr von Walde appeared. Hollfeld
raised his hat to Elizabeth as if he had just seen her, and his features
subsided instantly into an expression of utter indifference as he
walked towards his relative.
Elizabeth was disgusted with his farce,—first, at the insulting
familiarity, which made her blood boil with indignation, and then, at
the denial of any acquaintance before a third person. Her maidenly
pride was deeply wounded. She reproached herself that she had not
rebuked his impertinence boldly upon the spot. A crimson flush
glowed in her cheeks with shame that she should have been treated
so by any man; it seemed as if the spot upon her hand, where his
hot lips had rested, still burned, and she hastily held it beneath the
stream of a fountain in the park, that the imaginary stain might be
washed away.
Much agitated, she reached her home, and complained with
tears to her mother of the insult that she had received. Frau Ferber
was a sensible woman, possessed of clear, calm insight. She was
convinced by Elizabeth's resentment that her child's heart was not in
the least danger, and her fears were laid to rest. It was easy to
defend her from attacks from without; but who could guard her from
the grief that a misplaced attachment would entail upon her?
"You know now what manner of man Herr von Hollfeld is," she
said. "It will not be difficult strictly to avoid all future contact with
him, and if he should presume in spite of your efforts, he must be
sternly repulsed. His conduct seems to be the result of aristocratic
conceit and cowardice, two qualities which will probably deter him
from any further advances, when he discovers how disagreeable
they are to you. But at all events, familiarize yourself with the
thought that your behaviour towards him must of necessity create
an enemy who will, at some future day, put a stop to your
intercourse with Fräulein von Walde. Of course such a consideration
cannot for one instant lead you to hesitate as to your line of
conduct. Go on your way then, my child, quietly and with self-
possession. I should certainly not advise you to give up your visits to
Castle Lindhof."
"Assuredly not! no, that I will not do!" cried Elizabeth, quickly.
"What would my uncle say if the chicken should actually come flying
back to creep beneath the shelter of home?" she added, smiling
through her tears. "It would be wretched indeed, if with all the
strength of which I have boasted, I am not strong enough to repulse
an impertinent man so effectually that he shall desist from all future
advances."
She recalled her conversation with Herr von Walde, and found,
to her great satisfaction, that she must certainly be exceedingly
brave, for assuredly it had required no small exercise of courage,
while confronting that stern countenance, to declare her own
convictions, which attacked so decidedly the proud edifice of his
ancestral pride. She had expected every moment to see his glance
sheathe itself in ice again, as it had done in conversation with the
baroness; but the singular glow and expression which had so struck
her when first he addressed her, had not faded from his eyes,—she
could almost, in fact, believe that she detected beneath his
moustache a smile lurking around the corners of his mouth. Perhaps
he had determined to-day to enact the part of the lion towards the
mouse. He had magnanimously permitted a little girl to pour out her
naive ideas at his feet, where they might remain lying, since to bend
his aristocratic back to pick them up and examine them was not to
be thought of,—they probably amused him as exemplifying the
saying of the dog "baying the moon." She repeated all this
continually to herself, that she might stamp afresh upon her
treacherous memory his general reputation for boundless arrogance.
She could not tell how she became conscious of it, but she was
now perfectly aware that she should suffer unspeakably if Herr von
Walde's arrogance was ever exercised towards her; so she must be
doubly on her guard and not allow herself to be misled by his
observance of the usual forms of common politeness, of his high
regard for which the next day brought her a most convincing proof.

CHAPTER XI.

She had just gotten ready, the next afternoon, to go into the garden
with her work-basket, when the bell rang at the gate in the wall. In
consideration of the scene of the day before, her surprise was
certainly justifiable, when, as the gate was opened, she saw Bella
standing before her. Behind the child stood Miss Mertens and the
elderly gentleman with whom Elizabeth had lately had an evening
encounter. As she entered Bella extended her hand, but looked shy
and confused and said not a word. Elizabeth, much amazed, at once
guessed the reason of her coming, and tried to help her in her
embarrassment by saying how glad she was to have a visit from a
little girl, and by asking her to come into the garden. But Miss
Mertens stepped forward.
"Do not make it all so pleasant for Bella, Fräulein Ferber," said
she, "she has been expressly ordered to make an apology to you for
her misconduct yesterday. I must insist upon her speaking."
These words, spoken with much firmness, and still more,
perhaps, the sheltering darkness of the hall through which Elizabeth
was leading her by the hand, at last loosened Bella's tongue, and
she softly begged pardon for her fault, and promised never to be so
naughty again.
"And now that is happily settled," cried the gentleman, as he
advanced to Miss Mertens' side, and with an arch smile made a low
bow to Elizabeth.
"It may, perhaps, strike you as very odd," he said, "that I should
attach myself to this reconciliation deputation, with which I have no
concern; but I have an idea that on such occasions people are rather
inclined to overlook all slight transgressions, and so,—there can be
no more favourable moment for the smuggling in of a stranger.
"My name is Ernst Reinhard; I am the secretary and travelling
companion of Herr von Walde, and I have had no more earnest
desire for a week past than to become acquainted with the
interesting family at Castle Gnadeck."
Elizabeth kindly extended her hand. "These old walls have
witnessed so many of the misdeeds of the robber knights of old, that
we have no right to condemn smuggling; you will be cordially
welcomed by my parents."
She led the way, and opened the huge oaken door leading into
the garden.
 Her parents and uncle, who, with little Ernst, were sitting under
the lindens, arose as the strangers entered, and came towards
them. Elizabeth introduced them all round, and then, at a sign from
her mother, returned to the house to order some refreshments for
the guests. When she came back again, Bella had already laid aside
her sack and parasol, and with a joyous face was sitting in a swing,
which had been hung between two trees. Ernst was swinging her,
and seemed not a little proud of his new playmate.
"Indeed," said Reinhard, pointing to Bella as she flew up in the
swing, shouting with delight, "no one who had seen that child this
morning and her sullen bearing, as she went into Herr von Walde's
apartment to ask forgiveness for yesterday's misconduct, or her
defiant and angry expression, when he told her that he could not
receive her again until she had personally begged pardon of Fräulein
Ferber,"—here Elizabeth reddened, and became absorbed in the
preparation of some bread and honey for the two children,—"would
recognize her for the same being, whose face is now beaming with
the innocent joy of childhood."
The hour passed very pleasantly. Miss Mertens was both refined
and cultivated, and Reinhard told many delightful stories of his
travels and researches.
"Probably we should not have thought of returning home for
some time," he said in concluding an interesting account of
adventures in Spain, "had we not received unfavourable accounts
from Thuringia, which, following fast upon each other, induced Herr
von Walde to give up new plans for travel. The ambition of power
often makes its possessor blind. The incautious request from a
feminine pen that Herr von Walde would pension off the good old
village pastor at Lindhof, because he had grown prosy and was
incapable of training the souls under his care, capped the climax of
our unwelcome hews, and we set out for home immediately.
"When, late in the evening, as we approached Lindhof, we left
the highroad and our carriage, that we might go the rest of the way
on foot, we met with a most charming adventure. How odd! look,
Reinhard, what do you suppose is the meaning of that light in the
ruins of Castle Gnadeck?' asked Herr von Walde. 'It means that there
is a lamp there,' was my reply. 'We must investigate this,' said he,
and we ascended the hill. The light grew brighter, and at last, to our
astonishment, we saw that it streamed from two high illuminated
windows. And then, light steps were heard behind us, something
white fluttered among the bushes, and suddenly, what I took for a
being of ethereal mould hovered before us upon the moonlit sward.
I took heart and approached, expecting every moment that the airy
form would vanish before the breath of my lips; but alas! its own lips
opened, and told of two well-trained goats and a canary bird."
All laughed at this account.
"While we were descending the mountain," Reinhard continued,
"my master said not a word; but from certain signs I judged that he
was quite as ready to laugh at me as you were; it would have been
a fine thing if you could have accompanied us as a good fairy, for we
left all the moonlight and beauty behind us upon the mountain, and
had to walk on through the dim valley, where the mists were rising,
and where there was nothing, not even a wandering zephyr to bid us
welcome home. At Castle Lindhof numberless lights were flitting to
and fro like will-o'-the-wisps. The carriage, with our luggage, had
already arrived, and seemed to have produced the same effect by
the sound of its rolling wheels, as that ascribed to the thunder at the
day of judgment, for there was such hurry, confusion, and disorder
reigning there when we arrived, that, for my part, I should have
been thankful to retrace my steps, and lay my weary head upon the
first quiet, mossy spot that I could find in the forest. The only person
who, in the midst of the universal agitation, presented an
appearance of placid self possession was the chaplain, Möhring. He
had put on a white cravat with great despatch, and welcomed the
master of the house at the foot of the grand staircase in a speech
full of unction."
"The reign of that stern gentleman is at an end now, is it not?"
asked the forester.
"Yes, indeed, thank God!" replied Miss Mertens. "He will leave
Lindhof in a short time. Baroness Lessen's influence has procured
him a good parish. He could not endure to sink back into
insignificance where he had so lately held sway. I can readily
understand it, for he had ruled with all the persecuting zeal of a
tyrant who seeks to tread every one beneath his feet. He would not
allow a thought in his kingdom without his permission, and even the
baroness, his mistress, upon whom he smiled so servilely, felt his
iron rule. Every one in the household, without exception, was
obliged to write down, in the evening, the thoughts and sentiments
that had occurred to them during the avocations of the day. I can
see before me now the poor housemaids, to whom even a short
letter to their friends at home is a greater task than a long ironing-
day, sitting in that cold room on the winter evenings, holding the
pen in their tired clumsy fingers, and beating their poor brains for
something to say.
 "'Yes, if the chaplain had worked as hard as I have done the
whole day,' one would whisper softly but angrily to another, 'he
would not relish writing much.'"
"Indeed, I think so," cried the forester. "What a shameful
system of torture and oppression has been carried on there under
the cloak of service to the Lord!"
"The worst of it all is," said Ferber, "that unless a man is
possessed of great culture, or of a special fund of good humour, he
ends by detesting not only his tormentors but the whole subject of
religion that causes him such suffering. Thus, he is led more and
more astray from all faith, while his outward observance of forms
must be stricter than ever, his subsistence depending upon his
wearing the mask well. All this gives the death-blow to true religion
among the people."
"Well, we are fortunate in at least having one among us who
has force of character enough and sufficient strength of will, to say,
'Thus far shalt thou go and no farther!' Zounds! it came upon us like
a second deluge!" said the forester.
"True, Herr von Walde is possessed of an energy and force of
character such as falls to the lot of but few," replied Miss Mertens,
quickly. "His mouth is closed, but his eyes are wide open, and
servility, malice, and hypocrisy quail before them and drop their
masks."
In the mean while Reinhard had been attentively examining the
walls of the ruinous wing of the old castle which bounded the garden
on the south. Three large, pointed, arched windows, faultless in
shape, extended upward to the height of the second story from
about six feet from the ground. Close beside them a curious jutty
projected far into the garden, forming a deep corner, where grew a
giant oak, which stretched some of its boughs through the two
nearest sashless windows far into the airy, cool apartment within,
which must once have been the chapel of the castle, intended to
accommodate a large number of worshippers, for it extended
through the entire depth of the wing. Opposite these windows were
three others of like dimensions; they had been less exposed to wind
and weather, and had preserved some fragments of coloured glass in
their delicately carved stone rosettes. Through them could be seen
the dark court-yard, with its crumbling, ghostly walls like a picture
painted in gray. The garden side of this wing looked gay and odd
enough. The most extravagant caprice had here heaped together all
styles of windows and decorations; judging by the exterior, the old
building must have been a perfect labyrinth of rooms, passages, and
staircases. The jutty alone seemed to be in a most dangerous state
of decay. It inclined perceptibly to one side, and appeared to be
awaiting the moment when it should bury the blooming life of the
oak beneath its masses of stone. It had thrown a green mantle
coquettishly over its falling form,—an impenetrable garment of ivy
wreathed it all over from the ground to the ruinous roof, and
effectually concealed every crack and aperture in the masonry. Some
sprays of the ivy had crept across the oak and climbed up to the
sculptured arms on the principal front of the chapel, which looked
forth grimly enough from beneath its intrusive decoration.
"I attempted," said Ferber, "to explore this wing as far as I
could, shortly after my arrival here, for its peculiar style of
architecture interests me greatly; but I could not get farther than the
chapel, where, indeed, it seemed dangerous to stay long. You see
the whole upper story has fallen in, and the weight of the ruins has
caused the ceiling of the chapel to sink considerably, so that it seems
ready to tumble at the slightest breath of wind. The jutty has only
lately looked so threatening in consequence of several severe
storms. It must be taken away, for it makes a part of the garden
inaccessible to us. If I could have engaged any workmen, it should
have been pulled down before now."
After this explanation, Reinhard had no further relish, as he
expressed it, for wandering about in the old ruins. But he was all the
more interested in the connecting building, and Ferber arose to
show his guests his dwelling. And first, they ascended the rampart
behind them. Ferber was very capable and skilful, and employed
every moment of his leisure in improving his new possession. With
his own hands he had mended the steps which led to the top of the
rampart, and they arose now smooth and white from the close-
shaven turf which clothed its sloping side. On top, the tolerably wide
plateau was strewn with fresh gravel, and in the centre of it,
embowered in the linden boughs which overshadowed the basin
below, stood a group of home-made garden chairs and a table.
While they leaned against the breastwork and enjoyed the confined
but lovely view from the steep mountain over the valley beneath,
Elizabeth told the story of Sabina's ancestress, for doubtless this
rampart had been the scene of her narrative.
"Br-rr!" said Reinhard, shuddering. "What a leap it would have
been! The wall is high, and when I imagine below there, instead of
that mossy carpet, the sluggish, slimy waters of a castle-ditch full of
frogs and lizards, I cannot possibly understand the resolution
required to throw one's self over."
 "But," said Miss Mertens, "despair has led many a one to seek a
death even more horrible."
At this moment Elizabeth saw with her mind's eye the glowing,
passionate expression with which Hollfeld had hastened towards her
on the preceding evening. She remembered the disgust that she had
experienced at his touch, and she thought to herself that it was not
very difficult to imagine the position of the persecuted girl.
"Come in, child," said her uncle, rousing her from her reverie.
"Are you listening to hear the grass grow that you stand there so
silent?"
Beneath his clear gaze, and at the sound of his strong, honest
voice, the terrible vision vanished in an instant. "No, uncle," she
replied, laughing, "that I shall not attempt, even though I do boast
that I have wonderfully keen eyes and ears for the processes of
nature."
He took her hand, and led her after the others, who were just
entering the house. At the top of the steps, Bella came running to
Miss Mertens. She had several picture-books in one hand, and with
the other she drew her governess into Elizabeth's room.
"Only think, Miss Mertens, you can see our castle from here!"
she cried. That they were the owners of Lindhof she seemed firmly
to believe, and no wonder. The way in which the baroness had, until
now, wielded her sceptre, had left no doubt in the child's mind that
her mother was the indisputable mistress of Lindhof. "Look," she
continued gaily, "do you see the path down there? Uncle Rudolph
has just ridden past. He saw me, and waved his hand to me.
Mamma will be glad that he is kind to me again."
 Miss Mertens admonished her to be a good little girl, and get
her hat and sack, for it was time to go.
Elizabeth and Ernst accompanied them out into the park.
"We have stayed too long," said Miss Mertens anxiously, as she
took leave of the Ferbers and stepped out into the forest-clearing. "I
must be prepared for a tempest this evening."
"You think the baroness will be vexed at your remaining here so
long?"
"Without doubt."
"Never mind,—you must not repent it. We have spent such a
delightful afternoon," said Reinhard.
The children had wandered on before them, hand in hand, and
disappeared now and then among the trees on either side of the
path, plucking flowers. Hector, who had forsaken his master to
accompany them, leaped joyously hither and thither, never forgetting
to return now and then to be stroked and patted by the gentle hand
of Elizabeth, the lady of his love, as her uncle said.
Suddenly he stopped, and stood still in the centre of the path.
They had nearly reached the borders of the park. Through the forest
they could see the vivid green of the lawn, and the plashing of the
nearest fountain was audible. Hector had discovered a female figure
hastily approaching. Elizabeth recognized her instantly as silent
Bertha, although her whole appearance seemed strangely altered.
She could have had no idea that any one was near, for, as she
walked, she gesticulated violently with her arms. Her cheeks were
crimson, her eyebrows contracted as though in the greatest agony
of mind, and her lips moved as though she were talking to herself.
Her white hat, which she had decked with flowers, had slipped from
her dark braids, and was hanging upon her neck by its loose red
strings, which, as her motions grew still more earnest, became
wholly untied, and the hat fell on the ground without the knowledge
of its owner.
She came rapidly forward, and did not raise her eyes until just
as she stood close to Elizabeth. Then she started as though stung by
an adder. In a moment the expression of anguish upon her
countenance was changed to one of the bitterest anger. Hate flashed
from her eyes, her hands clenched convulsively, and while something
like a low hiss escaped her lips, she seemed as if about to spring,
raging, upon the young girl. Reinhard instantly placed himself by
Elizabeth's side, and drew her slightly back. When Bertha saw him,
she uttered a low cry, and rushed madly into the thicket, through
which she forced a path, although her clothes were torn by the
thorns, and she struck her forehead against the drooping boughs. In
a few moments she was lost to sight.
"That was Bertha, from the Lodge!" cried Miss Mertens, with
surprise. "What can have happened to her?"
"Yes,—what can have happened?" repeated Reinhard. "The
young creature was in a state of terrible excitement, and seemed to
grow actually furious at sight of you," turning to Elizabeth. "Is she
related to you?"
"No indeed," she replied. "She is only distantly connected with
my uncle, and I do not even know her. She has avoided me from the
beginning most resolutely, although I wished much to be on friendly
terms with her. It is clear that she hates me, but I cannot tell why.
Of course it troubles me, but her character is not sufficiently
pleasing to induce me to attach much importance to her dislike."
 "Good Heavens, my child, there is no question of dislike here!
The little fury would have gladly torn you to pieces with her teeth."
"I am not afraid of her," replied Elizabeth, smiling.
"But I would advise you to be careful," said Miss Mertens.
"There was something actually demoniac in her looks. Where could
she have been?"
"Probably at the castle," remarked Elizabeth, as she picked up
Bertha's hat, and brushed the moss and dried leaves from it.
"I think not," rejoined Miss Mertens. "Since she has been dumb
she has, very strangely, ceased visiting Lindhof. Before then she
came every day, attended the Bible Class, and was a great protegée
of the baroness, but suddenly it all came to an end, to the surprise
of all. Only now and then, in my solitary rambles in the park, I have
seen her gliding through the bushes like a snake,—indeed she seems
to me to bear an affinity to that reptile."
They had already reached one of the gravelled paths leading
through the park, and it was time to take leave of each other. They
separated with mutual cordiality.
"Now, Elsie," said Ernst, as the other three vanished behind a
group of trees, "we'll see which of us will reach the corner first." The
corner was the entrance to a narrow forest-path which led directly to
the foot of the mountain.
"Agreed, my darling," laughed Elizabeth, and began to run. At
first she kept even step with the little boy who was beside her; but
just before the goal was reached, she flew forward lightly as a
feather, and stood in the entrance of the path, and, to her terror,
close to the head of a horse which snorted violently. Hector, who
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