not at last
forget? And now it must happen that what reminded me of her again is my
own innocent child! Wawerl just looked into my eyes as if 'beautiful
Susel' had risen from her grave. It was not long, yet it seemed as if she
shrank in terror from me, her own clear father. She gazed up at me in
helpless despair, as if she feared God and the world.

"I have learned little about shivering, but a chill ran down my spine. Of
course, I did not let her notice anything. Poor child! after the honour
bestowed yesterday, I thought there would be nothing to-day except
laughter and loud singing. But my grandmother used to say that the grief
which tortures a young girl--she herself knows not why--is the hardest to
bear, and then Barbara must now make up her mind about marriage, for,
besides you, there are Peter Schlumperger and young Crafft to be
considered.

"I remembered all this, and so, as usual, I took her face between my
hands to give her her morning kiss. She always offers me her lips, but
to-day she turned away so that my mouth barely brushed her cheeks.
'Women's whims!' I thought, and therefore let it pass. You can imagine
how glad I should have been to hear something more about yesterday
evening, but I made no objection when she wished to go to the chapel at
once, because she had overslept the hour of mass. She would be back again
before the porridge was heated. But the little bowl has stood there
probably three quarters of an hour, and we are still waiting in vain."

Here he paused in his voluble flow of speech, and then burst forth
angrily: "The devil may understand such a girl's soul! Usually Wawerl
does just the opposite of what one expects; but if she does accept you,
she will--as an honest man I ought not to conceal it from you--she will
give you many a riddle to guess. Whims and freaks are as plenty with her
as buttercups in spring turf; but you can't find a more pious girl in all
Ratisbon. From ancient times the motto of the Blombergs has been 'Faith,
Courage, and Honour,' and for that very reason it seems to me highly
improbable that Wawerl would advise you to accept an office which, after
all, will force you to yield to the will of heretical superiors. The high
pay alone will hardly win her."

"It will not?" asked Wolf in astonishment. "It is for her alone, not for
myself, that I value the increased income."

"For her?" repeated the old man, shrugging his shoulders incredulously.
"Open your eyes, and you w