at least an honest one, honored lady. For when
the arch-angel Gabriel--or was it Michael--drove the arch-fiend to the
spot where he belonged, the lesson of forgiving seventy times seven
times had not yet been invented. Suppose I had a fancy for playing
arch-angel? Trust me without fear. I'll wager your poor protege knows
where this wolf in sheep's clothing has his den, and as I've all sorts
of things to settle with him--"

"Do what you believe to be your duty. I'll not prevent you; that is,
forestall God, who has perhaps chosen you for an instrument to
execute his decrees. Here"--and she tore a leaf out of her pocket
book--"here's the list of my seamstresses. The name through which a
line is drawn is that of the unfortunate girl."

"Like the black tablet in the doge's palace: _Marino Falier,
decapitatus pro crimine_. Permit me to write down the number of the
house. There--and now forgive this disagreeable visit, Madame. The
messengers of the Council of Ten in Venice were notorious for their
obligatory intrusiveness."

She took leave of him with a silent bend of the head; but as he was
passing through the ante-room, she called him back to entreat him for
God's sake to deal considerately with the poor girl, who had deserved a
better fate. "Have no fear," he replied. "We children of the world are
all sinners ourselves, and know how poor sinners feel."

Half an hour after, he knocked at the door of a garret in one of the
most out of the way streets in Friedrichstadt. A man's voice called
"come in!" Seated on a table in the deep recess of a window, to catch
the last rays of light, was an odd little figure with his legs crossed
under him, sewing busily on a woman's dress. At the mention of Fraeulein
Johanne's name the busy little man let his work fall, shook his head
angrily, and exclaimed in his hoarse falsetto tone:

"Can you read, sir, or not? Pray look at the sign on the door, and see
if there's not an inscription on it in large letters: 'Wachtel, Ladies'
dressmaker.' The person whom you seek did live here, but is now
entirely to set up for four flights of stairs. Of course the fall is
first down stairs from the garret to the ground floor; after a time
they go still farther down: into the cellar, and then five feet under
ground. Besides, it isn't my affair; ladies' tailors are not
responsible for the first fall of man. Why! Well of course you know
that yourself. Ha! ha!" He laughed and took up his needle again.

"