to me that while far away you have formed a totally false opinion of me,
whom you placed upon the throne of your heart, and I wish to correct it,
that you may not plunge into misfortune like a deluded simpleton and drag
me with you. Where, as in my case, so many things are different from what
the good and humble would desire them to be, it is not very pleasant to
open one's whole heart to another, and there is no one else in the world
for whom I would do it. Perhaps I shall not succeed at all, for often
enough I am incomprehensible to myself. I shall understand myself most
speedily if I bring before my mind my father's and my mother's nature,
and recall the ancient saying that young birds sing like the old ones. My
father--I love him in spite of all his eccentricities and weaknesses.
Dear me! he needs me so much, and would be miserable without me. Though
he is a head taller than you, he has remained a child."

"But a good, kind-hearted one!" Wolf interrupted with warm affection.

"Of course," Barbara eagerly responded; "and if I have inherited from him
anything which is ill-suited to me, it is the fearless courage which does
not beseem us women. We progress much farther if we hold back timidly.
Therefore, often as it impels me to resistance, I yield unless it is too
strong for me. Besides, but for your interruption, I should have said
nothing about my father. What concerns us I inherited from my mother,
and, as I mean kindly toward you, this very heritage compels me to warn
you against marrying me if you are unable to support me so that I can
make a good appearance among Ratisbon wives. Moreover, poor church mouse
though I am, I sometimes give them one thing and another to guess, and I
haven't far to travel to learn what envy is. In my present position,
however, compassion is far more difficult to bear than ill-will. But I by
no means keep out of the way on that account. I must be seen and heard if
I am to be happy, and I shall probably succeed so long as my voice
retains the melting tone which is now peculiar to it. Should anything
destroy that, there will be a change. Then--I know this in advance--I
shall tread in the footsteps of my mother, who had no means of satisfying
her longing for admiration except her pretty face, her beautiful figure,
and the finery which she stole from the poverty of her husband, and her
only child. How you are staring at me again! But I can not forget that
now; for, had it not been so, we