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Two years were gone，but the voice had not re-turned.How would the future be for our young friend?
He could always be a teacher in a school，opinedHerr Gabriel;there was a livelihood in that，though noth-ing to be married on;however，that hadn't entered Peer's mind，no matter how large a place in his heart the phar-macist's daughter had.
"Be a teacher!"said Madam Gabriel;"a school-master!Then you'll be the most boring individual onearth，just like my Gabriel.No，you were born for thetheater.Be the greatest actor in the world;that is some-thing more than being a teacher."
An actor!Yes，that was the goal.
He mentioned this in a letter to the singing master;he told of his longing and his hope.He longed most ea-gerly for the great city，where his mother and grandmotherlived;he had not seen them for two long years.The dis-tance was only one hundred and twenty miles;by fasttrain，he could be there in six hours.Why had they notseen one another?That is easily explained.On his depar-ture，Peer had given his promise to stay where he was be-ing sent and not to think of a visit.His mother was busyenough with her washing and ironing;yet she had oftenthought of making the great journey，even if it would costa good deal of money，but this never materialized.Grandmother had a horror of railways;to travel by railwas to tempt the Lord.Nothing could induce her to travelby steam;she was an old woman，and she was not goingto travel until she traveled up to our Lord.
That she said in May，but in June the old womanwould travel，and all alone，the one hundred and twentylong miles，to the strange town，to strange people，and allto get to Peer.It would be a big occasion，yet the mostdismal one that could occur to Mother and Grandmother.
The cuckoo had said"Cuckoo!"without end whenPeer had asked it the second time，"How many years shallI live?"His health and spirits were good，and the futurelooked bright.He had received a delightful letter from hisfatherly friend，the singing master.Peer was to go home，and they would see what could be done for him-whatcourse he should take now that his voice was still gone.
"Appear as Romeo!"said Madam Gabriel."Nowyou are old enough for the lover's part and have someflesh on your bones.You don't need to use make-up."
"Be Romeo!"said the pharmacist and the pharma-cist's daughter.
Many thoughts went through his head and heart.But"Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring."
He sat down in the garden that stretched out to themeadow.it was evening，and there was moonlight.Hischeeks burned;his blood was on fire;the air brought adelightful coolness.Over the moor hung a mist that roseand sank and made him think of the dance of the elfinmaidens.Then into his mind came the old ballad aboutKnight Olaf，who rode out to ask the guests to his wed-ding，but was stopped by the elfin maidens，who drewhim into their dance and play and thereby caused hisdeath.It was a piece of folklore，an old poem.Themoonlight and the mist over the moor formed pictures of itthis evening.
Peer was soon in a state of half dreaming，lookingout upon it all.The bushes seemed to have shapes ofboth humans and beasts;they stood motionless，while themist rose like a great waving veil.Peer had seen some-thing like this in a ballet at the theater，when elfin maid-ens were represented whirling and waving with veils ofgauze;but here it was far more charming and more won-derful.A stage as large as this，no theater could have;none had so clear an air，so shining a moonlight.
Right in front in the mist，there distinctly appeared afemale shape;the one became three，and the three becamemany;hand in hand they danced;they were floatinggirls.The air bore them along to the hedge where Peerstood.They nodded to him;they spoke;it was like thesound of silver bells.They danced into the garden abouthim;they enclosed him in their circle.Withoutthought，he danced with them，but not their dance.Hewhirled about，as in the unforgettable vampire dance，but he didn't think of that;he really didn't think atall;he was completely overwhelmed by all the magnifi-cent beauty he saw about him.
The moor was a sea，so deep and dark blue，withwater lilies that were bright with all conceivable colors.Dancing over the waves，they carried him upon their veilto the opposite shore，where the old viking burial moundhad thrown aside its grassy turf and risen into a castle ofclouds，but the clouds were of marble.Flowering treesof gold and costly stones twined about the mighty blocksof marble;each flower was a brilliantly colored bird thatsang with a human voice.It was like a choir of thou-sands and thousands of happy children.Was it heaven，or was it Elfin Hill?