ended the stairs and
reached the street, he saw the count's carriage still standing in the
same place. "He's waiting till I have gone, and will then go up again,"
he thought, and regretted that there was to be a continuation of the
scene just experienced. But as he looked around to summon the droschky,
the carriage door opened and the count alighted.

"My worthy young gentleman," said he, approaching Balder, "we've not
yet done with each other. I've taken the liberty of waiting here, to
give you some good advice." He paused a moment and measured the youth
from head to foot. Balder looked him quietly in the face. "I'm eager to
hear it," said he.

"You're still very young and moreover in other respects not a person
who could be held to the full meaning of his words. But for that very
reason you will do well not to try forbearance too far. I inform you
therefore that I don't desire to meet you in this young lady's drawing,
room a second time.

"It will rest entirely with you, Herr Count, to avoid me. I've no
reason to shun you."

"Then you must submit to the treatment I think proper to bestow upon
any insolent person of your stamp."

Balder had turned deadly pale, and his limps trembled, but instead of
menace there was a strange expression of sorrow in the eyes that rested
upon the man who offered him this insult.

"Herr Count," said he, "I regret that I expressed my opinion of you in
so loud a tone that you could overhear it. It always pains me to offend
any one. But I regret still more, that your subsequent conduct confirms
my hasty judgment. I believe we've nothing more to say to each other."

He bowed coldly and beckoned to the driver of his droschky, which was
waiting at some little distance. At the same moment he felt his cloak
seized.

"It is true, my young friend, that I have done with you," he heard the
count say in a tone of suppressed fury. "Your feeble health gives you
the liberty, so easily abused, of saying what you please with impunity.
But you will oblige me by giving your brother, in my name, the same
warning that I have given you. Out of consideration for the lady to
whom he, as I hear, is paying attention, I should prefer that she
should be spared the necessity of making a choice between us. I'm not
in the habit of putting myself on a level with the first person who
comes along, and the affair might have unpleasant consequences for him.
You'll be kind enough to give him this message, my young f