she had mourned over as one does over a dead friend, who,
though lost, is still dear forever. When she thought that the hand
which had once caressed her had stroked the chin of this coarse
red-haired girl, a pang of bitter aversion shot through her heart, as
if she felt herself humiliated and dishonored by the mere association.
She shed no tears, but only because her pride rose up in all its
strength against such a proceeding. And yet she had to bite into the
silk lining of her hood with her little teeth in order to suppress her
sobbing and restrain her weeping.

She felt that she must take some step to put an end to this unbearable
state of things; that she must start the very next morning on the
Italian journey which had been so unfortunately postponed. But to-day,
now, when before all else she must avoid meeting him again, she must
escape from this mad-house where she stood in positive danger of going
crazy herself.

Just then a knock was heard at the door. She sprang to her feet in
alarm. If it should be he? if he had come, perhaps, to justify himself
to her; to excuse his outrageous behavior?

She was incapable of uttering a sound; and, even after the knock had
been repeated a second time, she was unable to ask who was there. It
was only when she heard the voice of the waiter-girl, who called
through the door that she had a message to deliver to the Fraeulein,
that she found strength to drag herself with trembling knees to the
door, and open it. She took a note from the girl's hand, shook her head
quickly in reply to the question whether she wanted a light, and bolted
the door in the face of the hastily-dismissed messenger, who would have
been glad of a chance to talk a little.

There was light enough at the window for her to decipher the martial
handwriting of the lieutenant.

"My friend has suddenly been taken very ill. I must transport him to
Rossel's villa without delay. Please to excuse my desertion to the
other ladies. Commending myself to the indulgence of my noble young
mistress, I remain, in the most devoted haste,

"SCHNETZ."

"My friend"--she knew that no other could be meant than Felix; and yet
this news, which, at any other time, would have given her a deadly
shock, came to her now like a release from the bitterest torture. Would
she not bear anything rather than know that he was happy after the
wrong he had done her? Might not the outrageous