Carl Gottlieb Samuel Heun

“ The whole day long I had flattered myself with the certain hope, at the least rustling of the leaves, of beholding the light form of Liesli issue forth, but a thousand times was I deceived. Whoever has felt the torment of love, and has passed in his life but one hour in waiting for the object he adores, such a one alone can form an idea how tedious and how long this agonizing day appeared to me. ”

“ For myself, I had received into my arms, through the pressure of the crowd, a stout, coarse, market-woman, who was immediately followed by the weight of a fat, heavy Finlander upon my poor toes, a Droschki driver thrust his elbows into my ribs, a long-legged Polish count lay upon my back, and to end all, a little Samojad-looking chambermaid supported her elbows upon my loins. Thus pressed and attacked on all sides, I was carried on by the crowd, in spite of all opposition, when suddenly another rush of the multitude threw into my arms a young and beautiful lady—that lady was Liesli! ”

“ When alone in my apartment, I tormented myself in forming every possible conjecture on her present abode and fate. The hermit, then, had provided for her merely from duty and friendship, and from motives purely disinterested. I certainly considered myself capable of doing any thing for such an angel, but I never could believe that another would do the same, and felt jealous at the thought that Liesli had confided her happiness to his hands and not to mine. ”

“ Age does not always withstand folly: so long as no one had stood in his way he had left the young girl to herself, but now that the unsuspecting creature had, perhaps, in her simplicity betrayed to him her partiality for me, he tears her from my arms, confines her in some subterraneous corner of his hermitage, and retains her there a prisoner until I may have turned my back upon the frontiers of the Canton, which, having once reached, I may then travel as far as I like, seek as long as I please, and torment myself as much as I choose—to him that will be quite immaterial. ”

“ The form—ah no! that was purely human, reality itself; her limbs so finely rounded—her skin so delicately soft and tender; and the blood which coloured the veins of her beauteous cheeks flowed warm and full of life from the heart.
I lay down to rest, but could not sleep. The Mythen, which, from my bed, I could plainly perceive towering to the black heavens above, seemed to totter and tremble; I could not close my eyes, for at each moment I imagined I beheld it descending to bury me in its ruins, without either flowers or wreath to decorate my grave. At length, towards morning, I fell asleep ”

“ You will from thence behold at once no less than fourteen lakes; you will see into the very heart of Swabia, and amidst the whole will rise to your view mount Jura, the Horns of St. Gothard, and the ancient town of Zurich, fourteen cantons, innumerable cities, towns, and villages; and, high above the clouds, the eternal snows and glaciers of the glorious and stately Jungfrau—all will present themselves to your admiring gaze.” “But, the chief and most beautiful object which I shall behold-to morrow, you have still forgotten,” said I to her, as I pressed her rosy fingers to my lips. ”

“ Whether the hermit had concealed himself from me, or whether he were really absent, what was that now to me? I had renounced all farther intercourse—I had done with him. One short moment more in the church-yard, and should I again be disappointed in finding Liesli there, I resolved to ascertain her residence of my landlady; my patience was now indeed completely exhausted. I was determined to put my purpose into immediate execution, and thus finally attain the object of my wishes. I hastened to the cemetery—but Liesli was not there! How changeable, how versatile a being is man! ”

“ The sweet maiden must indeed have imagined I had lost all power of speech, for since my first question, and my assurance of having also to wait for the hermit, not a sound had escaped my lips, so lost had I been in contemplating the magic charms of this lovely creature. Even nature was dumb, and appeared also to have shared in the general expression of silent awe and admiration at the scene of celestial splendour and magnificence around us ”

“ What is the orphan to you? But answer me not, for the truth does not always proceed from your lips. You seek the maiden, but you may spare yourself that needless trouble—you will not find her. Her mother, in her dying moments, charged me to watch over her happiness and welfare. On the very morning when you imagined you would climb mount Rigi, Liesli departed.—She is gone to her relations, whom I had previously informed of her mother’s death, and from whom, after an interval of twelve months, I received money and instructions to send the orphan to them, provided with the necessary attendance. ”

“ I exclaimed joyfully, pressing the rose to my lips,—“and that you may not doubt my honour, I will not even wish to know where Liesli is, but after the twelve months are expired, I will come and demand her from your hands.”
“That, time will shew,” replied the hermit calmly, and bidding me farewell, requested me not to come again to him, as he would be absent for a considerable time.
“Father!” I exclaimed with emotion, “what if we never see each other again! Twelve months is a long time; you are old and stricken in years, God may call you to himself, and then what shall I do?” ”

“ Such skill appertains to the Creator alone. That regular oval form, the mild lustre which shone so sweetly in her soft sloe-black eyes, half hid by their long lashes; that pure innocence of soul which beamed from them; the smile of love upon her rosy cheeks, those ruby lips, that row of teeth vying with ivory itself; no—never could the hand of the painter produce or pourtray so many charms. I was motionless with surprise, and gazed upon the beauteous being with silent wonder and admiration. ”

“ The pains, the wants of my more unhappy neighbours too often oppress and overcome my feelings; for to me come only such unhappy beings as seek to pour into my heart those troubles and afflictions with which they are so heavy laden, and under which they would otherwise sink. But thou, who livest within the wide range of this world, hast thou never yet beheld the flow of bitter tears descending down the cheek of sorrow? Hast thou never heard the troubled sigh, when issuing from the breast of affliction? ”

“ I shuddered as I thought that the old emaciated form of the anchorite, and that of the beautiful Liesli, blooming in all her charms—might be one and the same! How came he in possession of the money? Now it was I called to mind his words at parting; what could he mean by saying “those who hope to be happy on the morrow”—what should these words portend? What could the old man have to do with the blooming girl? What had the hermit of Siti to do at the flowery graves at the foot of the Mythen? Or, had the young maiden acted the character of an anchorite? ”

“ I let the good people talk on, and whenever anxious to procure myself a real reviving feeling of joy, I frequently and secretly used to retire, bending my steps towards the top of the highest of their potatoe hills, and, turning myself towards the distant land where dwelt my Liesli, and addressing myself to the zephyrs playing around me, I besought them to convey to her my affectionate greetings, and most ardent wishes. ”

“ I have never as yet beheld either hermit or hermitage, though both have often been the subjects of my youthful fancy and meditation; I feel desirous, therefore, holy father, of now satisfying my curiosity, by passing a short and instructive hour in your society. You are more wise and pious than we children of the world; you live in solitude and seclusion; you pass your time in acts of devotion ”

“ Those alone accustomed to the severe restrictions of a monastic life, could impose such laws and duties upon youth—upon a man anxious still to enjoy the world and its many pleasures. I rose from my seat on the wall, still undecided within myself whether or not to listen to the exhortations of the morose hermit, or to follow my own more congenial and inviting inclinations, intending to pass through the flowery graves around the church, and then to return home. ”

“ In the art of giving, you have as yet made but very little progress; your present has humiliated and shamed, more than it has pleased or gratified the maiden.”
“What, Liesli gone?” I exclaimed “Ah! tell me venerable father, whither is she gone? If you are indeed her friend, then tell me, for it concerns her own happiness. My intentions are good and honourable, for I wish to offer her my heart and hand, with all my fortune.”
“You,” said the hermit, half ironically, “you, who have only known her a very few hours, you would offer her your whole life? ”

“ From that time the silent mountain became dearer to me—then it was that I first began to comprehend and feel the power of the Creator of the mighty universe—then it was I began to appreciate the wonderful productions of his hand, and viewed the scene of nature around me with feelings hitherto unknown and unfelt. ”

“ Whenever we, who contentedly remain at home, bless our stars to think that we have such a happy land to live and enjoy ourselves in, and which, surely, God has not in his goodness rendered quite a desert, there sits master Hermann, turning up his nose in contempt, as if our high hills in front of the windmill-gate were, in his opinion, not worth looking at. Well, dear heaven, they are certainly not glaciers; but pray do potatoes grow upon his favourite ice-tipped hill, as they do here round the windmill? Why the man will at last become a glacier himself, he is so cold and frosty in his manner! ”

“ Well, then, to-morrow I will see you, but we must meet far—very far from this neighbourhood, and very early, when all are asleep. Would you like to mount the Engelstock, or mount Ruffi, or would you rather ascend the peak of Rigi? There I will point out to you, the chalky Alps and the Nagelflue mountains; aye, and you shall there behold objects which will cause you to remember our Canton all your life. ”

“ But what if I did not succeed in finding Liesli? And, should I return home without a wife, would not the minister most naturally conclude I had received a refusal? Might not this be extremely injurious to me in my new appointment? Ought I to explain to a man of such high importance, buried amidst his diplomatic duties, the tale of my love to the Swiss maiden, and my adventures with her and the hermit? ”

“ The thought alone of once more returning to Switzerland after the expiration of the year, sustained my sinking spirits. I already enjoyed in imagination the pleasure I should experience on my visit to the hermit, and should he attempt to escape me by the least evasion, when summoned to fulfil his promise, he certainly should never escape my hands alive. ”

“ About six months afterwards she gave birth to that same Liesli, who it appears you have already seen. Her mother devoted all her time to her education, and to instilling into her mind virtuous and pious principles; indeed her child was so beloved by every one in the place, that had she even been related to any one of our families she could not have been dearer to us. Now, since her mother is dead, she has been under the protection of the hermit, who has provided for her, and may God bless the orphan, and grant her, all her life, that happiness she so richly merits. ”

“ The ensuing spring we intend visiting the venerable hermit, and the grave of my Liesli’s mother in the churchyard at Shwytz. From thence we shall proceed to my native country, and the rest—time will unfold.
*****
The foregoing pages I have extracted from the letters of my happy friend, the Baron Hermann von —————. How blest is he who gives his hand and heart to a poor girl, so rich as to bring the beloved husband a marriage dower of innocence and virtue! From such the blessing of Heaven will never be withheld.
The good hermit in the meanwhile has departed this life—for a better! ”

“ I determined within myself not to bestow one look upon any female whatever; no, not in the whole of that immense empire, with all its various provinces in Asia and America, should a lover be found so true and faithful as myself. I inwardly vowed that my heart should return with me unaffected, and yet—I gave it there away! ”

“ The hermit, however, who had, previously to her mother’s death, received from herself the full particulars of Liesli’s family affairs, announced to the count her death, and succeeded so far in touching his heart, that, enfeebled as he was by age and declining health, he no longer viewed the prejudices of birth with the same jealous eye as heretofore, and, at length, decided on sending for Liesli, acknowledging her as his grandchild, and the heiress to his large and extensive possessions. ”