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  Nearly two years later Reinhard was sitting by lamplight with hisbooks and papers around him, expecting a friend with whom he used tostudy in common. Some one came upstairs. "Come in." It was thelandlady. "A letter for you, Herr Werner," and she went away.

  Reinhard had never written to Elisabeth since his visit home, and hehad received no letter from her. Nor was this one from her; it was inhis mother's handwriting.

  Reinhard broke the seal and read, and ere long he came to thisparagraph:

  "At your time of life, my dear boy, nearly every year still brings itsown peculiar experience; for youth is apt to turn everything to thebest account. At home, too, things have changed very much, and allthis will, I fear, cause you much pain at first, if my understandingof you is at all correct.

  "Yesterday Eric was at last accepted by Elisabeth, after having twiceproposed in vain during the last three months. She had never been ableto make up her mind to it, but now in the end she has done so. To mymind she is still far too young. The wedding is to take place soon,and her mother means to go away with them."

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