Petrea often stumbled and fell, but always sprang up quickly, and then unaffrightedly continued her leaping and springing.
The Candidate also, full of joyous animal spirits, began to sing aloud, in a fine tenor voice, the song, "Seats of the Vikings! Groves old and hoary," in which the children soon joined their descant, whilst they marched in time to the song.

Elise, who gave herself up to the full enjoyment of the beautiful day and the universal delight, had neither inclination nor wish to interrupt this by any disagreeable explanation; she thought to herself that she would defer it a while.
"Nay, only look, only look, sisters! Henrik, come here!" exclaimed little Petrea, beckoning with the hand, leaping, and almost out of herself for delight, whilst she looked through the trellis-work of a tall handsome gate into pleasure-grounds which were laid out in the old-fashioned manner, and ornamented with clipped trees.

Many little heads soon looked with great curiosity through the trellis-gate; they seemed to see Paradise within it; and then up came the Candidate, not like a threatening cherub with a flaming sword, but a good angel, who opened the door of this paradise to the enraptured children.

This surprise had been prepared for them by Elise and the Candidate, who had obtained permission from the Dowager Countess S * * * to take the children on their way to the nut-wood through her park.
Here the children found endless subject for admiration and inquiry, nor could either the Candidate or their mother answer all their questions.
Before long the hearts of the children were moved at sight of a little leaden Cupid, who stood weeping near a dry fountain.
"Why does he cry ?" asked they.
"Probably because the water is all gone," answered the Candidate, smiling.
Presently again they were enchanted by sight of a Chinese temple, which to their fancy contained all the magnificence in the world--instead of, as was the case, a quantity of fowls; then they were filled with astonishment at trees in the form of pyramids--they never had seen anything so wonderful, so beautiful! But the most wonderful thing was yet to come.
They reached a gloomy part of the grounds.

Melancholy sounds, incoherent, yet pleasurable, became audible, accompanied by an uninterrupted splashing of water.