"Indeed! upon my honor, Mademoiselle Nanna you frighten me!"
"Why?"
"Because I cannot comprehend how you can use all your knowledge in this valley."
"I have often thought of that," replied Nanna, sighing deeply.
"Perhaps, it is not such a terrible matter after all," said Gottlieb, "I must thoroughly convince myself."
Gottlieb now commenced to examine and cross-question Nanna in the various departments of learning that she had mentioned, and was pleased to discover by her accurate replies that she comprehended thoroughly all that she had studied. In fact, Nanna was quite his equal in her knowledge of Ancient Mythology, which had always been her favorite study.
"But how is it possible that your father should be so well educated? Yesterday, when we were walking together, you told me that he had resided in this valley nearly half his lifetime, with scarcely sufficient means to support himself and family."
"Alas! a sorrowful story is connected with my father's younger days; but he never speaks of it. He had high hopes, when young, and had they been realized, he would have been a man of consequence; but the death of his patron crushed everything."
"I must call upon your father some pleasant evening. Do you think he would be pleased to see me?"
"Of course, and Magde would also."