d she absolutely worships by giving evidence before the judges, be
it what it may, only her grandparents can decide. Her tender years would
at any rate detract from the validity of her evidence, and I am averse to
involving a child of this house in this dubious affair. With regard to
Katharina, it is, on the contrary, the duty of this court to request her
presence, and I offer myself to go and fetch her."

He resolutely resisted Paula's attempts to interrupt him again: she
should have a patient hearing presently in the presence of her witness.
The gem no doubt had come to her from her father. But at this her
righteous indignation was again too much for her; she cried out quite
beside herself:

"No, and again no. Some reprobate scoundrel, an accomplice of yours--yes,
I repeat it--made his way into my room while I was in the sick-room, and
either forced the lock of my trunk or opened it with a false key."

"That can easily be proved," said Orion. In a confident tone he desired
that the box should be placed on the table, and requested one of the
council, who understood such matters, to give his opinion. Paula knew the
man well. He was one of the most respected members of the household, the
chief mechanician whose duty it was to test and repair the water-clocks,
balances, measures and other instruments. He at once proceeded to examine
the lock and found it in perfect order, though the key, which was of
peculiar form, could certainly not have found a substitute in any false
key; and Paula was forced to admit that she had left the trunk locked at
noon and had worn the key round her neck ever since. Orion listened to
his opinion with a shrug, and before going to seek Katharina gave orders
that Paula and the nurse should be conducted to separate rooms. To arrive
at any clear decision in this matter, it was necessary that any
communication between these two should be rendered impossible. As soon as
the door was shut on them he hastened into the garden, where he hoped to
find Katharina.

The council looked after him with divided feelings. They were here
confronted by riddles that were hard to solve. No one of them felt that
he had a right to doubt the good intentions of their lord's son, whom
they looked up to as a talented and high-minded youth. His dispute with
Paula had struck them painfully, and each one asked himself how it was
that such a favorite with women should have failed to rouse any sentiment
but that of hatred in