n
gives a glimpse of the inmost depths of hypocritical souls."

"An extremely poetical fancy, to peep through curtains," Lorinser
remarked, seizing his hat. "Unfortunately this time you've made a
mistake in the person, as I could prove, if it were worth while to take
the trouble, or the lady could by any possibility be interested in it.
Meantime, as you are about to occupy yourselves with musical exercises
my presence is superfluous--"

He bowed to Christiane and walked toward the door.

She turned to Mohr, who was watching Lorinser with a mischievous
glance.

"I must request you to excuse me to-day," said she. "If your ironical
symphony is anything more than a jest--you will always find me at home
in the morning, between twelve and one o'clock."

Mohr did not make the slightest attempt to request a short respite for
himself and his composition. The musical object of his visit seemed to
have entirely escaped his attention, for his eyes were sparkling with
delight at the thought of having driven Lorinser from his sofa corner.
He took a cordial but respectful leave of Christiane, and followed the
Herr Candidat, who silently walked out into the entry.

On the stairs they passed; Lorinser seemed to wish to give Mohr the
precedence. "Pray go on," said Mohr in the most cordial tone, "I'm
perfectly at home here. But perhaps you may prefer not to come up these
steep stairs too often. You might get hurt. The house where I saw you
yesterday is better lighted at any rate."

Lorinser half turned and said in a tone of suppressed fury: "You're
very much mistaken, sir, if you expect to intimidate me by such paltry
expedients. I deny having any knowledge of the place where you pretend
to have seen me; but I suspect from the tone you assume, that the
company was by no means the best. Well I confess, that for a man who,
in a lady's presence, denounces another and tries to represent him as a
person who visits bad houses--for such a spiteful and slanderous spy, I
repeat I've no feeling but profound contempt."

"Thank you," replied Mohr dryly. "If you had assured me of your esteem,
I should have taken it more to heart. Besides, my worthy friend in the
dark, I shall throw a little light on your path, should you show any
disposition to continue your visits to this lady, whom you already know
quite too well; I should be forced to speak still more plainly. I don't
see why I am to withhold my information against an individual of your
s