nd wife to divert their love; they're always alone, everything
remains as it was during the honeymoon, which extends to years. I only
wish it for Leah's sake, since she knows my old fondness for children
and can't look upon Reginchen's blessings without a sigh. For my part,
I could spend my life with what I have, and the natural desire for
offspring would gradually die out entirely. How few can boast of having
a wife who is a constant novelty, and yet as indispensable as the
oldest, most cherished habit! We are not always of one mind, like our
neighbors; Leah's blood is not so light and her thoughts stir it, and
then she has hours of hard secret struggle, and the conclusions at
which she arrives her honesty forces her to defend. But it's all the
prettier and more touching, when she regains her bright cheerful moods.
I can't help laughing when she doubts whether she's the right wife for
me, whether I should not have been happier with a fair haired child
like my little Frau God-mother." Marquard had risen and was pacing up
and down the room puffing violently at his cigar. "And the old love?"
he said after a pause.

"Rusted out, in defiance of the proverb! It becomes more and more clear
to me that the whole affair, the sudden mad passion, was only a symptom
of my general condition at the time and was melted out of my blood with
other useless stuff by the nervous fever. Since that time I've never
uttered her name, and have heard and seen no more of her than if her
husband's estates were in Sirius."

"I wish they were," muttered the physician between his teeth, stamping
indignantly on the floor. "I meant to keep it from you," he continued,
as he again threw himself on the sofa beside Edwin. "But since there'll
be no danger to you if she comes to a bad end some day--"

"She? Do you know anything about her? Have you seen her again?"

"I had the honor of kissing the countess' hand a few hours ago. Nay, I
can even tell you, we should have blindly passed each other here, if
your old friend and patron, the striped waistcoat, who was idling
around before the house, had not seen you at the upper window and
instantly recognized you."

"Little Jean? But how in the world--"

"You shall hear all. As I said before, I wished to keep it from you, as
I didn't know what impression it might make upon you, to suddenly find
yourself so near your old love. You know I've always had a great regard
for your wife, and have thought that no one