to church."

"Ach! gnadiges Fraulein, will you no breakfast have?"

"No thank you, Barbi."

"Liebes Fraulein, what a beautiful morning after the rain it has become!
How cool! It is for you good--for the colour in your cheeks; now they
will bloom again!" and Barbi stroked her own well-coloured cheeks.

Dominique, sunning himself outside with a cloth across his arm, bowed as
she passed, and smiled affectionately:

"He is better this morning, M'mselle. We march--we are getting on. Good
news will put the heart into you."

Christian thought: 'How sweet every one is to-day!'

Even the Villa seemed to greet her, with the sun aslant on it; and the
trees, trembling and weeping golden tears. At the cathedral she was
early for the service, but here and there were figures on their knees;
the faint, sickly odour of long-burnt incense clung in the air; a priest
moved silently at the far end. She knelt, and when at last she rose the
service had begun. With the sound of the intoning a sense of peace came
to her--the peace of resolution. For good or bad she felt that she had
faced her fate.

She went out with a look of quiet serenity and walked home along the
dyke. Close to Harz's studio she sat down. Now--it was her own; all
that had belonged to him, that had ever had a part in him.

An old beggar, who had been watching her, came gently from behind.
"Gracious lady!" he said, peering at her eyes, "this is the lucky day for
you. I have lost my luck."

Christian opened her purse, there was only one coin in it, a gold piece;
the beggar's eyes sparkled.

She thought suddenly: 'It's no longer mine; I must begin to be careful,'
but she felt ashamed when she looked at the old man.

"I am sorry," she said; "yesterday I would have given you this, but--but
now it's already given."

He seemed so old and poor--what could she give him? She unhooked a
little silver brooch at her throat. "You will get something for that,"
she said; "it's better than nothing. I am very sorry you are so old and
poor."

The beggar crossed himself. "Gracious lady," he muttered, "may you never
want!"

Christian hurried on; the rustling of leaves soon carried the words away.
She did not feel inclined to go in, and crossing the bridge began to
climb the hill. There was a gentle breeze, drifting the clouds across
the sun; lizards darted out over the walls, looked at her, and whisked
away.

The sunshine, dappling through the tops of trees, g