arted and at ease, and the heavy atmosphere of anxious thought
melted away. The servant lighted the candles on the pier table, asked
if he had any orders to give and then left the room with the remark
that dinner would be served in half an hour. Their Highnesses had
wished to wait till the Herr Count returned from hunting.

Edwin nodded absently. He was still undecided as to what he ought to
do. Instead of the oppressive fear of his own weakness which had driven
him all day through the forest, an eager desire had arisen to see
Toinette again, to hear the voice that made the inmost chords of his
being tremble, and to feel her glance once more rest upon him. It
seemed to him as if he should now be strong enough to play with the
fire, but the presence of strangers, of whom he must take cognizance,
annoyed him.

On the dainty table with gilded rococo feet, he had found his traveling
satchel, and mechanically began to unpack the contents. His portfolio
fell into his hand. He remembered the letter he had written to Leah
twenty-four hours before, and in what an unsuspecting mood! Then he
considered whether it would not be well to inform her immediately of
the events that had occurred, that the hardest part of the story might
have been told when he saw her again. He felt that he possessed at
least sufficient courage to attempt it, and had already taken out his
writing materials, when some one knocked at the door and Count Gaston,
attired in a very elegant black dress suit, entered with his usual
cordial impetuosity.

"Writing, Doctor?" he exclaimed laughing. "What? great thoughts came
to you in the forest to-day, that must be put on paper at once? You men
of science are enviable mortals. One of us, in order to methodically
exercise his vocation of enjoying life, requires such a complicated
apparatus; carriages for conveying kitchen utensils, baskets of wine, a
piano, Havana cigars, fair women, and various other necessaries. You,
on the contrary, wander through a wilderness, in which nothing grows
except beech acorns, oaks, and fir cones, and return home, fully
satisfied 'with your load of immortal thoughts,' as Lenau says. I
deeply regret that I must disturb you in this intellectual revelry, to
take you away to much more material enjoyment. Dinner will be served in
fifteen minutes, the beautiful princess is very anxious to make your
acquaintance, and if you want to dress--"

"I am already attired in the dress of a philosop