as you please, runs after this fine
fellow like Kaetchen von Heilbronn. I only wish--"

At this moment the door opened, and she of whom he was speaking stole
in on tiptoe with her bouquet. But, light as her step was, it seemed to
have awakened the sleeper. He groaned slightly, threw his right arm
above his head and then slowly opened his eyes.

"Beautiful flowers!" he murmured. "Good-morning! How goes it!--how is
art getting on?"

Then, without waiting for an answer, and as if he were recalling to his
mind a face that had appeared to him in his dreams, he said:

"I only wish I knew--whether it were really she. Has any one--asked
after me?"

Zenz approached softly and held the bouquet before him, so that his
pale face blushed from the reflection of the dark roses, and said, in a
whisper:

"I have a message for you from the beautiful Fraeulein; she was down in
the garden to inquire after you, and she hopes you will soon be well
again. Oh, you know who I mean! The one over yonder, who didn't want to
dance with the rest."

His eyes still rested on the bouquet; the words that he heard overcame
him with such happiness and bliss that he believed he was still
dreaming. By a powerful effort he raised his head a little, so as to
hide his burning face in the flowers. "Zenz," he said, "is that--really
true?"

"As true as I live; and she even began to cry at last, so that I felt
sorry for her myself, although--"

A smile passed over the sick man's lips. He tried to speak, but his
emotion had been too violent. A dizziness overcame him, and, with a
gentle sigh, which did not sound like a sigh of pain, he closed his
eyes and immediately sunk back into a quiet slumber.

_BOOK V_.

CHAPTER I.

On a pleasant afternoon, a few days later, Jansen, Julie, and Angelica
started from the city for the Starnberg villa.

The drive was silent and sad, for Jansen had been deeply moved by what
had happened, and Julie's heart was full of sympathy for his anxiety.
To the disappointment of all, when they reached Rossel's house, that
worthy met them with a grave face and reported that the doctor had
ordered absolute quiet, and had forbidden all exciting visits. He led
the ladies into the little _salon_ and had some refreshments brought by
Zenz, who opened her eyes wide at Julie in unconcealed admiration. But
they were none of them in a mood to taste anything. Th