pride for
the Fatherland, but as one who has no home and no Fatherland, as one who
seeks a grave, not as one who combats a wrong.

Stella saw the pile of newspapers in my room, and asked me how I could
read those dreary accounts of battles and bombardments. Beyond these
poor newspapers I had, during the sixteen months that I was at home, but
scant tidings from without. I had implored Clara Steinmann to write me
now and then, and tell me the news of Elberthal, but her penmanship was
of the most modest and retiring description, and she was, too, so
desperately excited about Karl as to be able to think scarce of anything
else. Karl belonged to a Landwehr regiment which had not yet been called
out, but to which that frightful contingency might happen any day; and
what should she, Clara, do in that case? She told me no news; she
lamented over the possibility of Karl's being summoned upon active
service. It was, she said, _grausam, schrecklich_! It made her almost
faint to write about it, and yet she did compose four whole pages in
that condition. The barrack, she informed me, was turned into a
hospital, and she and "Tante" both worked hard. There was much
work--dreadful work to do--such poor groaning fellows to nurse!
"_Herrgott!_" cried poor little Clara, "I did not know that the world
was such a dreadful place!" Everything was so dear, so frightfully dear,
and Karl--that was the burden of her song--might have to go into battle
any day.

Also through the public papers I learned that Adelaide and Sir Peter Le
Marchant were divided forever. As to what happened afterward I was for
some time in uncertainty, longing most intensely to know, not daring to
speak of it. Adelaide's name was the signal for a cold stare from
Stella, and angry, indignant expostulation from Miss Hallam. To me it
was a sorrowful spell which I carried in my heart of hearts.

One day I saw in a German musical periodical which I took in, this
announcement: "Herr Musik-direktor Max von Francius in ---- has lately
published a new symphony in B minor. The productions of this gifted
composer are slowly but most surely making the mark which they deserve
to leave in the musical history of our nation; he has, we believe, left
---- for ---- for a few weeks to join his lady (_seine Gemahlin_), who
is one of the most active and valuable hospitable nurses of that town,
now, alas! little else than a hospital."

This paragraph set my heart beating wildly. Adelaide wa