of the time so hopelessly lost, still
more painful and bitter. "Careless children ought never to be left
alone," he said reproachfully, crushing back tears of sorrow for his
brother and rage against himself. "Now you have accomplished a fine
piece of business, worked shamefully hard that I might not only play
the fool the more undisturbed, but become your murderer into the
bargain. Oh! child, all the duchesses in the world, who might want to
make me their court-fool, would not outweigh a single hair from your
thick locks, though they really might lose a few handfuls without
injury. Instead of taking up my station on the nearest street corner,
as was my duty, and waiting to see if some one would give me work, I've
wasted my days in the most worthless way, playing the courtier, while
you--fie! A fine brotherly love on both sides! One idles enough for
two, and thoughtlessly allows himself to be fed at the expense of the
other, who meanwhile works for two so recklessly that he almost
deprives himself of life, and the idler of his only brother."

He would not allow himself to be quieted, until he had carried the
dearest things he possessed, a few dozen of his most valuable books, to
an antiquary, and thus defrayed the most pressing necessities for
several weeks. Besides this, as the lectures had not yet commenced, he
plunged headlong into all kinds of remunerative work, criticisms upon
new books and contributions to scientific journals, and remained
persistently at home all day long, with the exception of a short
afternoon walk, never losing thought of Balder amid all his work. No
one interrupted this strict seclusion except the faithful doctor, Mohr,
who came daily for several hours to play chess, and Reginchen, who
brought up the meals.

Some change seemed to have taken place in the child, which transformed
her whole nature in a mysterious, but very charming manner. She no
longer sang and glided about like a young bird, or even prattled in her
half childish, half motherly way to Balder, whom she now had to nurse;
but the thoughtful, somewhat absent and sorrowful expression her
countenance now wore, undoubtedly suited it better than her former
wholly unshadowed mood. She seemed to have grown an inch taller, her
face was perceptibly narrower, her cheeks less blooming, but suffused
with a delicate glow from within. Moreover she was often found, as if
spell-bound, standing still in the midst of a task gazing steadily into
va