London to Berlin | Page 9

of a friend. After some polite
denials my offer was accepted, and it was agreed that the whole family
should take up their quarters with me in the evening.
I went home, and was giving the necessary orders when I was told that
two young ladies wished to see me. I went down in person, and I was
agreeably surprised to see Sara and her sister. I asked them to come in,
and Sara told me that the landlady would not let their belongings out of
the house before her father paid a debt of forty guineas, although a city
merchant had assured her it should be settled in a week. The long and
snort of it was that Sara's father had sent me a bill and begged me to

discount it.
I took the bill and gave her a bank note for fifty pounds in exchange,
telling her that she could give me the change another time. She thanked
me with great simplicity and went her way, leaving me delighted with
the confidence she had placed in me.
The fact of M. M---- F----'s wanting forty guineas did not make me
divine that he was in some straits, for I looked at everything through
rose-coloured glasses, and was only too happy to be of service to him.
I made a slight dinner in order to have a better appetite for supper, and
spent the afternoon in writing letters. In the evening M. M---- F----'s
man came with three great trunks and innumerable card-board boxes,
telling me that the family would soon follow; but I awaited them in
vain till nine o'clock. I began to get alarmed and went to the house,
where I found them all in a state of consternation. Two ill-looking
fellows who were in the room enlightened me; and assuming a jovial
and unconcerned air, I said,--
"I'll wager, now, that this is the work of some fierce creditor."
"You are right," answered the father, "but I am sure of discharging the
debt in five or six days, and that's why I put off my departure."
"Then you were arrested after you had sent on your trunks."
"Just after."
"And what have you done?"
"I have sent for bail."
"Why did you not send to me?"
"Thank you, I am grateful for your kindness, but you are a foreigner,
and sureties have to be householders."
"But you ought to have told me what had happened, for I have got you

an excellent supper, and I am dying of hunger."
It was possible that this debt might exceed my means, so I did not dare
to offer to pay it. I took Sara aside, and on hearing that all his trouble
was on account of a debt of a hundred and fifty pounds, I asked the
bailiff whether we could go away if the debt was paid.
"Certainly," said he, shewing me the bill of exchange.
I took out three bank notes of fifty pounds each, and gave them to the
man, and taking the bill I said to the poor Swiss,--
"You shall pay me the money before you leave England."
The whole family wept with joy, and after embracing them all I
summoned them to come and sup with me and forget the troubles of
life.
We drove off to my house and had a merry supper, though the worthy
mother could not quite forget her sadness. After supper I took them to
the rooms which had been prepared for them, and with which they were
delighted, and so I wished them good night, telling them that they
should be well entertained till their departure, and that I hoped to
follow them into Switzerland.
When I awoke the next day I was in a happy frame of mind. On
examining my desires I found that they had grown too strong to be
overcome, but I did not wish to overcome them. I loved Sara, and I felt
so certain of possessing her that I put all desires out of my mind;
desires are born only of doubt, and doubt torments the soul. Sara was
mine; she had given herself to me out of pure passion, without any
shadow of self-interest.
I went to the father's room, and found him engaged in opening his
trunks. His wife looked sad, so I asked her if she were not well. She
replied that her health was perfect, but that the thought of the sea
voyage troubled her sorely. The father begged me to excuse him at
breakfast as he had business to attend to. The two young ladies came

down, and after we had breakfast I asked the mother why they were
unpacking their trunks so short a time before starting. She smiled and
said that one trunk would be ample