ith him yet," said I, "but I have known him
long, and loved him almost from the first. The other day I
promised--to--marry him."

"You?" said she; "you are going to marry Eugen! Are you"--her eyes
said--"are you good enough for him?" but she came to an abrupt
conclusion. "Tell me," said she; "where did you meet him, and how?"

I told her in what capacity I had become acquainted with him, and she
listened breathlessly. Every moment I felt the prohibition to speak
heavier, for I saw that the Countess von Rothenfels would have been only
too delighted to hail any idea, any suggestion, which should allow her
to indulge the love that, though so strong, she rigidly repressed. I
dare say I told my story in a halting kind of way; it was difficult for
me on the spur of the moment to know clearly what to say and what to
leave unsaid. As I told the countess about Eugen's and my voyage down
the river, a sort of smile tried to struggle out upon her lips; it was
evidently as good as a romance to her. I finished, saying:

"That is the truth, _gnaedige Frau_. All I fear is that I am not good
enough for him--shall not satisfy him."

"My child," said she, and paused. "My dear child," she took both my
hands, and her lips quivered, "you do not know how I feel for you. I can
feel for you because I fear that with you it will be as it was with me.
Do you know any of the circumstances under which Eugen von Rothenfels
left his friends?"

"I do not know them circumstantially. I know he was accused of
something, and--and--did not--I mean--"

"Could not deny it," she said. "I dare not take the responsibility of
leaving you in ignorance. I must tell you all, and may Our Lady give me
eloquence!"

"I should like to hear the story, madame, but I do not think any
eloquence will change my mind."

"He always had a manner calculated to deceive and charm," said she;
"always. Well, my husband is his half-brother. I was their cousin. They
are the sons of different mothers, and my husband is many years older
than Eugen--eighteen years older. He, my husband, was thirty years old
when he succeeded to the name and estates of his father--Eugen, you see,
was just twelve years old, a school-boy. We were just married. It is a
very long time ago--_ach ja!_ a very long time ago! We played the part
of parents to that boy. We were childless, and as time went on, we
lavished upon him all the love which we should have bestowed upon our
own children had we been ha