now that Fanny's
sisters were very bad, unprincipled women, and that only the energy of
good kinsfolk saved Fanny herself from being betrayed and ruined. I know
that in the eyes of the world hers is a very dubious record; but I also
know that, so long as I hold that woman's hand in mine, the world will
not dare to reproach, will not dare to condemn her; and the thought of
it makes me proud and well pleased."

"And suppose you are attacked?"

"I don't understand."

"Suppose they say of you what they say of her, that you are a frivolous,
flighty woman?"

"Without cause?"

"Not without cause. She lives in the midst of a band of empty-headed
men, who certainly have no particular regard for a woman's reputation.
And you, in consequence of your intimacy with Madame Karpathy, rub
shoulders every day with her acquaintances, and will also be taken for a
light, frivolous, frail sort of woman."

"I a light, frail, frivolous woman!" cried Flora, visibly wounded; but
the moment afterwards she shrugged her shoulders. "It matters not.
Rather let the whole world be unjust to me, than that I should be unjust
to any one. And, after all, why should I care about the world, when you
are the whole world to me? Let everybody regard me as a light woman for
Madame Karpathy's sake; so long as you do not, I care nothing about the
others."

"And if I, also, considered you as much?"

Flora sprang up from Rudolf's side in amazement.

"Rudolf! think what you are saying. Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am serious."

Flora reflected for an instant, then she said decidedly--

"Very well, Rudolf, I assure you that I am neither frivolous nor
weak--weak not even in respect to you." And with that she sprang to the
bell-rope and pulled it violently three times.

The maid entered.

"Netti, you will sleep in here with me to-night."

Rudolf looked at his wife with the greatest surprise.

"This is a sentence of banishment, eh?"

"It is."

"For how long?"

"Until you withdraw your words."

Rudolf smilingly kissed her hand and quitted the room; but he lay down
in a very bad humour, and it was a long time before he could go to
sleep. Often he was on the point of starting up, hastening to her room,
begging her pardon, and giving her a written assurance under his hand
and seal that women are the strongest, the most determined creatures in
the world, and that there never was and never will be such a thing as a
frivolous, frail young woman--but t