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330 SKETCHES.
siness, which betrayed itself in the tone of her voice, Helena
asked her what she wanted.
The shadow remained silent; but a faint sound, proceed-
ing from the handle of the door, showed that her hand,
which held it, was trembling.
Helena repeated her question in a more serious tone,
receiving an answer, but so indistinct that it was impossi-
ble to find out any coherence in the broken words and half
sentences. So much she could, however, understand, that
the stranger wanted some assistance, and that she asked to
be taken into the service of the two sisters.
With some surprise and with some severity in her voice,
Helena said, that “the proper time for changing servants
was already past; that they did not want any more servants
than those which they had at present, and that, besides,
they did not know her.”
The shadow was silent, and the sound proceeding from
the door-handle became more distinct.
“Have you got,” asked Ainelia, “any certificate to show
us?”
“ Yes,” answered the shadow.
“From whom?” Amelia again inquired.
“ From Misfortune,” was the reply.
“Who are you?” asked Helena.
“‘ A shadow of what I was formerly.”
“ Where do you come from ?”
“From the grave,” sounded the answer.
Not without some impatience Helena said: “I do not
know what your meaning may be with these mysterious
words. Say at once what you want and who you are, if
you wish that we should help you, which, however, I doubt
that we shall be able to do.”
“If you cannot,” the shadow said slowly, “ nobody can ;”
and in a lower tone she added, “ Do they then not know
me by my voice?”
“ God can help,” said Helena, “where mortals do not °
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