What is that key?
Axel, have you got it ?" I answered not a word, and for a very good reason.

My eyes had fallen upon a charming picture, suspended against the wall, the portrait of Graeuben.

My uncle's ward was at that time at Altona, staying with a relation, and in her absence I was very downhearted; for I may confess it to you now, the pretty Virlandaise and the professor's nephew loved each other with a patience and a calmness entirely German.

We had become engaged unknown to my uncle, who was too much taken up with geology to be able to enter into such feelings as ours.
Graeuben was a lovely blue-eyed blonde, rather given to gravity and seriousness; but that did not prevent her from loving me very sincerely.

As for me, I adored her, if there is such a word in the German language.