said. With a sudden gesture as though
shaking off some heavy weight, he tottered to the counter, behind which
she stood entrenched and unapproachable.

"Only one word, Lottka," he murmured. "Do you know that insolent man?
Have you ever given him cause so to think of and speak to you? Yes or
No, Lottka?"

She was silent, and her hands hung down helplessly by her side. I could
plainly see two great tears forcing their way between her lashes.

"Yes or No, Lottka," he repeated more urgently, and his breast heaved
fast. "I wish to know nothing further. Do not imagine that the first
rude fellow I come across, has any power to shake my holiest
convictions. But how was it you had not a word to crush him with? Why
are you silent now?"

A convulsive shiver passed over the young girl's frame. With eyes
still closed she felt for her chair in the window, but did not seat
herself--sank down on her knees beside it, and hid her face against it.
"I beseech you," she murmured in an almost inaudible voice, "do not ask
anything about me--go away--never come here again. If it can in any way
comfort you, I am innocent so surely as God lives; but so unfortunate
that it is almost worse than if I were a sinner too. Go away. I thank
you for all you have done, but go, and forget that I am in the world. I
would I were in another!"

"Lottka!" cried Sebastian wildly, about to rush in and raise her up,
but that she put out her hands to ward him off with such a lamentable
gesture that I held him back; and after a struggle, during which I
represented to him that they were both too excited at present to
understand each other, I persuaded him to leave the poor child to
herself, and we went off, promising to return on the morrow.

We walked in silence through the streets. It was impossible to tell him
that the scene we had witnessed had considerably shaken my faith in his
beloved. For the rest I was perfectly satisfied with the part he had
played, and owned to myself that I should have done just the same in
his place.

It was only when we reached the door of my house that he broke silence.
"You must do me the favour," he said, "to go to that man very early in
the morning" (we had read his name and address on his card; he was an
assessor at the Town Court). "I leave all details to you."

"Of course," I returned, "it stands to reason that I should do all I
can for you; but in this matter--I have never delivered a challenge,
and have only twice see