Page:Gleanings from Germany (1839).djvu/23

 informed myself further respecting her situation; but the town of Shwytz is so small, that had I been perceived following her, by a single person, the next day it would have been published all over the town. I might, however, have learned both the name and history of the young girl from my hostess, had I related my little adventure to her; but being a very sly and cunning woman, she would no doubt have seen further than I wished her to see, and would have surmised and imagined things regarding our nocturnal meeting which certainly neither I, nor my fair and pious unknown, ever dreamt or thought of, when at the foot of her mother’s grave. I, therefore, kept the secret securely locked in my own breast, and was sanguine in my hopes of again meeting her to-morrow evening on the same spot. I began now to interpret the vague, undefinable desire with which my heart was agitated when wandering towards Siti. I had longed and wished for something, and a mysterious feeling seemed to indicate to me that now I had found it. The Mythen, which I again began to contemplate from my window, did not now appear to my view so awfully dangerous; for should it begin to totter, I could seek out the dwelling of my pious unknown, and were the menacing rock to crush us with its ponderous weight, still I thought if die we must, that death would be no longer appalling when shared with her.

I had purposed quitting Shwytz the ensuing morning, and continuing my route to Zug; but a feeling far more powerful than curiosity prompted me to stay, and thus enchained, I found myself insensibly approaching the spot among the graves, where at evening I hoped again to meet the young maiden.

The day appeared to me eternally tedious. I surveyed all that presents itself to the curiosity of the traveller, and attentively observed all the young fair ones I met in the course of my walk, but could not find any amongst them who at all resembled her I sought.—Thus passsed off the morning.

After dinner I ascended the Urny; I wandered among the