d! I congratulate him. But don't depend
upon me for this evening."

The artist started and looked at him in astonishment. This indifferent
manner of receiving such wonderful news surprised and vexed him. But
his joy was too great to be long clouded. "As you choose," said he, "we
won't quarrel about it. Besides the young couple won't miss you, and to
sit with an old fellow like me--you're right, it would not be much
pleasure. So another time and farewell!"

He seized his hat in the exuberance of his delight waved an adieu to
Frau Valentin. While so doing, the pins which had fastened the somewhat
rusty piece of crape came out, and the sign of seven years mourning
fell on the floor. He was about to pick it up, but changed his mind.
"No," said he, "we'll let it lie. If the mother can look down upon her
child, she will think it natural if no crape is worn after this day.
Farewell, my best friend! I still insist that you're an angel."

CHAPTER XI.

As soon as the artist had left the room, Mohr, who had remained
gloomily standing at the door, approached the astonished Frau Valentin
and said in the tone of a foot-pad, who demands the traveler's purse at
the pistol's point: "you know a certain Lorinser, Madame. As I have
reason to think this man of honor a scoundrel, who with persistent
cunning escapes the punishment he deserves, I take the liberty of
asking whether you've heard anything of him since he left Berlin."

"Lorinser!" exclaimed the good lady. "Oh! dear Herr Mohr, say nothing
about that unhappy man; he has already caused me sorrow enough. No, no,
I don't know where he is, nor do I desire to do so, I will never see
him again, and I think I'm tolerably sure he will never approach my
threshold as he has every reason to remain away from Berlin."

"In so believing, Madame," Mohr replied with a short fierce laugh, "you
have probably misjudged this Protestant Jesuit. True, when a few months
ago and again very recently I made inquiries about him at his former
lodgings and the police headquarters, I learned that he had gone away.
But people like him, who live on such intimate terms with angels and
archangels, ascertain before death, how one must manage to move about
as a glorified body. One saves rent thereby and passes through every
key hole. That this mysterious man should have forever abandoned the
great city, where people can take advantage of others so much more
comfortably and