er the Herr Doctor any refreshment. You really have forgotten? Then
I will do so at once--we have a bottle of excellent port wine in the
house--a present from our good friend, the professor's widow. By the
way, dear Doctor, I wanted to ask you something: you must do me the
favor to pay her a visit. We are so much indebted to her for Leah's
education--she was really a little piqued because I engaged a teacher
for the child without first introducing him to her. The best woman in
the world, and in many respects, that is in church history and the
positive divinity, exceptionally well educated. You will not regret
taking the short walk--she lives in Louisenstrasse--if I accompany
you--"

"With pleasure, dear Herr Koenig," replied Edwin. "But let me make the
acquaintance of the giver before I taste her gift. Fraeulein Leah has
learned to-day, that a Greek philosopher believed that the earth rose
from the water, so for to-day I will take only a glass of water. Next
time we will see whether there is truth in wine."

Leah brought the glass of water, but was so silent, that her father
before going away, asked anxiously if she were ill. "I never felt
better," she replied with a radiant glance from her beautiful, calm
eyes.

Shaking his head, the little man went out, accompanied by Edwin, who
took leave of his pupil with a cordial pressure of the hand.

"My dear Herr Doctor," said he when they were in the open air, "is it
not strange that a father cannot understand his own child? Certainly
every human being is a fresh marvel from the hand of God. This is not
like our other experiences, which are only a copy of our own natures
and enlighten us in regard to ourselves, our strength or weakness. Only
the great masters can have a similar feeling, when from the breath of
divine art something new appears, which resembles nothing in the world,
and surprises the artist himself. I believe that Raphael, when his
Sistine Madonna was completed, did not understand her much better than
I do my daughter. Yes, yes, my dear friend, these are transcendent
mysteries; we can only pray and thank God that we are considered worthy
to experience them."

CHAPTER XII.

The Frau Professorin Valentin lived in a pretty new house, and occupied
large neat rooms, which however, to an artistic eye, with all their
tidiness had a somewhat gloomy, cheerless air. She received Edwin in
the largest and plainest of all; the lit