d Karl's lips as he said:

"Thank you. No one else knows. It only took place--decidedly, you know,
to-night. I said I should tell two friends of mine--she said she had no
objection. I should not have liked to keep it from you two. I wish,"
said Karl, whose eyes had been roving in a seeking manner round the
room, and who now brought his words out with a run; "I wish Sigmund had
been here too. I wish she could have seen him. She loves children; she
has been very good to Gretchen."

Eugen's hand dropped from our friend's shoulder. He walked to the window
without speaking, and looked out into the darkness--as he was then in
more senses than one often wont to do--nor did he break the silence nor
look at us again until some time after Karl and I had resumed the
conversation.

So did the quaint fellow announce his engagement to us. It was quite a
romantic little history, for it turned out that he had loved the girl
for full two years, but for a long time had not been able even to make
her acquaintance, and when that was accomplished, had hardly dared to
speak of his love for her; for though she was sprung from much the same
class as himself, she was in much better circumstances, and accustomed
to a life of ease and plenty, even if she were little better in reality
than a kind of working housekeeper. A second suitor for her hand had,
however, roused Karl into boldness and activity; he declared himself,
and was accepted. Despite the opposition of Frau Steinmann, who thought
the match in every way beneath her niece (why, I never could tell), the
lovers managed to carry their purpose so far as the betrothal or
_verlobung_ went; marriage was a question strictly of the future. It was
during the last weeks of suspense and uncertainty that Karl had been
unable to carry things off in quite his usual light-hearted manner; it
was after finally conquering that he came to make us partners in his
satisfaction.

In time we had the honor of an introduction to Fraeulein Steinmann, and
our amazement and amusement were equally great. Karl was a tall,
handsome, well-knit fellow, with an exceptionally graceful figure and
what I call a typical German face (typical, I mean, in one line of
development)--open, frank, handsome, with the broad traits, smiling
lips, clear and direct guileless eyes, waving hair and aptitude for
geniality which are the chief characteristics of that type--not the
highest, perhaps, but a good one, nevertheless--honest, l