Page:Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations (Volume 2).djvu/27

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The Spectre Barber.
15

at the window watching for his beloved; and, when she appeared he felt a keener sensation of pleasure than the astronomer experienced, who first saw Venus pass over the sun’s-disk. Unfortunately for him the careful mother was vigilant in her observations, and soon discovered the cause of his constant presence at the window. As he was none of her favourites, on account of his former behaviour, she was so much offended at his continual watching and staring, that she kept her window curtains close drawn, and desired Mela never to appear at the window. When she took her to church, she put a thick veil over her face, and hurried round the corner as fast as she could to screen her treasure from the unhallowed gaze of our hero.

Poor Frank was not famous for his penetration; but love awakens all our faculties. He perceived that he had given offence by his intruding looks, and immediately retreated from the window with a resolution not to look out at it, even though the host were to be carried through the street. He now employed all his invention to find out