turning lathe, each
with a book which neither read, listening to the irregular breathing of
the invalid. Toward morning, the slumber produced by opium seemed to
pass into a healthy, natural sleep, and Edwin now insisted that Mohr
should go home and make up part of the rest he had lost, begging him
first to leave at Toinette's lodgings a note, which contained the
following lines:

"_Do not expect me to-day. Whilst I was eagerly imbibing full draughts
from the cup of life, death knocked at our door. We still hope to
defend our citadel against him, but until we are entirely sure of doing
so, I shall not leave my post at Balder's side. Whether or not I can
forget you in any fate that may befall me, you well know. I shall send
you messages from time to time. If you want any books, please inform
me._

"_The envy of the_ '_so-called gods_' _has this time produced a master
piece._

"Edwin."

When Mohr passed Christiane's door, he was on the point of ringing her
bell, but it occurred to him that it was not yet six o'clock. But he
came back again during the forenoon. He had scarcely been able to sleep
an hour; a strange anxiety urged him to return to the house in
Dorotheenstrasse, which contained all that was dear to him. As he
vainly pulled Christiane's bell for the third time, the maid-servant
came up the stair's bringing Edwin's dinner; (Reginchen would not
appear.) The woman was evidently confused when Mohr hastily asked where
the young lady had gone and when she would return. Fraeulein Christiane
had gone out early in the morning, she answered sulkily, she couldn't
say where. She didn't trouble herself about the lodgers.

He was not particularly surprised; only it was disagreeable to be thus
compelled to wait before he could see her again. But as he intended to
stay in the tun for the day and night, he hoped at any rate to hear
when she returned.

On going up stairs he found Marquard, who tried to put the best
possible face on matters.

"There's no immediate danger," he said in a low tone, while Balder was
sleeping, "if he will only keep quiet and not play any more tricks.
What the devil induced him, instead of taking a little ride in the
sunshine, to venture alone into the city and wander about the foggy
streets till he was warm and tired."

That he had done this, Balder had written with a trembling hand on a
scrap of paper, for which he asked Edwin as soon as he awok