ned
her Katharina's little head this morning."

"I am sorry for it," he interrupted in a tone of annoyance. "These ways
with women have grown upon me as a habit; but I have done with them
henceforth. They are unworthy of me now, and I feel, my dear
Mother. . . ."

"That life is beginning in earnest," Neforis threw in. "The wish which
brings me to you now entirely accords with that. You know what it is, and
I cannot imagine what you can have to say against it. In short, you must
let me settle the matter to-morrow with Dame Susannah. You are sure of
her daughter's affection, she is the richest heiress in the country, well
brought up, and as I said before, she has quite lost her little heart to
you."

"And she had better have kept it!" said Orion with a laugh.

Then his mother waxed wroth and exclaimed: "I must beg you to reserve
your mirth for a more fitting season and for laughable things. I am very
much in earnest when I say: The girl is a sweet, good little creature and
will be a faithful and loving wife to you, under God. Or have you left
your heart in Constantinople? Has the Senator Justinus' fair
relation.--But nonsense! You can hardly suppose that that volatile Greek
girl. . . ."

Orion clasped her in his arms, and said tenderly, "No, dearest mother,
no. Constantinople lies far, far behind me, in grey mist beyond the
farthest Thule; and here, close here, under my father's roof, I have
found something far more lovely and more perfect than has ever been
beheld by the dwellers on the Bosphorus. That little girl is no match for
a son of our stalwart and broad-shouldered race. Our future generations
must still tower proudly above the common herd in every respect; I want
no plaything for a wife, but a woman, such as you yourself were in
youth--tall, dignified and handsome. My heart goes forth to no
gold-crested wren but to a really royal maiden.--Of what use to waste
words! Paula, the noble daughter of a glorious father, is my choice. It
came upon me just now like a revelation; I ask your blessing on my union
with her!"

So far had Neforis allowed her son to speak. He had frankly and boldly
uttered what she had indeed feared to hear. And so long she had succeeded
in keeping silence!--But now her patience gave way. Trembling with anger
she abruptly broke in, exclaiming, as her face grew crimson:

"No more, no more! Heaven grant that this which I have been compelled to
hear may be no more than a fleeting and fooli