most decisive orders to proceed immediately with dispatches from my court to that of St. Petersburgh.
St. Petersburgh and Switzerland, separated by a distance of four hundred leagues from each other! Were I to go to Russia, then must my Liesli be for ever lost to me; the hermit would then regard all the professions which I had made as the mere childish effusions of a romantic brain, and, accordingly, conclude from my absence that I had really forgotten her. Besides, in this interval, more than twenty offers might be made to her, and her heart be continually besieged by suitors; and could I blame her for giving her hand to another? If I went to Switzerland I must previously demand my dismission, and thus renounce all the brilliant prospects which presented themselves to me, for I could not possibly furnish any pretext whatever sufficiently strong, to excuse my declining to execute the mission confided to my charge. This appointment, too, was so distinguished and honourable, and attended with such certain prospect of rapid and sure advancement, that it would have been acting completely contrary to every principle of honour and advantage, had I endeavoured to avoid undertaking the journey.
Still, in order not to sacrifice the happiness of my life, namely, the possession of Liesli’s hand, to the service of ambition, I devised, in the anxiety of my feelings, a desperate remedy. Laugh not, ye happier mortals, who are blessed with the dear presence of your sweet fair ones, at the plan I was forced to pursue.
I wrote to my good landlady in Shwytz, and made her my confidant. I informed her of all that had passed between Liesli, the hermit, and myself, entreating her to deliver to the former the letter I enclosed, or, should she not be acquainted with her abode, to consign it to the care of the hermit.
In the enclosed letter I offered to Liesli, in a brief but aftectionate manner, my hand and heart, as a sincere pledge of eternal love. I sealed the letter, and committing it to the
