h
whether he'll approve or support your plan. However--I won't prejudice
him though. Good night."

She cordially shook hands with him, and then entered the house, while
the disappointed shoemaker, drawing the hat with the blue ribbon low
over his brow, walked back muttering and gesticulating to the main
street, to find at some ale house more appreciative souls.

CHAPTER II.

The ground floor of the house where Edwin and Leah had lived four
years, was arranged in the simplest manner; three little rooms and a
chamber for the maid-servant, or, as Edwin said, no longer one tun but
three small ones and a band-box. The room looking out upon the street,
however, had two large windows; one was occupied by Edwin's desk, the
other by the artist's table from the Venetian palace. The old furniture
had also been brought to the little town, the book-case with the two
busts, the green sofa on which Leah had rested when she gave Edwin her
hand, over it the two engravings of Raphael's pictures, which had hung
above the brothers' beds, and close by, on a pedestal, a cast of the
bust of Leah's mother. The only new thing was a harmonium, a bridal
present from Frau Valentin, who knew how Edwin loved music. As he cared
less for master pieces and their perfect execution, than for the
elementary magic of harmony, Leah's art was sufficient to conjure this
spell from the full toned instrument.

The other art, of which she was mistress, she had eagerly cultivated.
She had no lack of time, she said with a sorrowful smile. Edwin, even
during his most arduous mental labor, liked to have her in the same
room, quietly occupied with her painting, often for hours exchanging
only a glance; or he stood behind her chair, looked silently at her
work and gently smoothed her dark hair, as he used to stroke Balder's
fair mane. Then she would glance smilingly up into his face, until he
bent over her and kissed her lips. He said her presence helped him to
think. Certain subtle psychological revelations would never have come
to him, but for this quiet enlarging and supplementing of his nature
through his other self. Frequently he was not even conscious of her
presence in any other way than as his right hand while writing was
aware that the left rested upon the paper. And yet the sheet would
often become displaced, if both hands did not share in the work.

As she now returned to the cosy room, and after sending the
maid-