, with a fair
mustache, otherwise closely shaved, and with short hair, not like me!
He thinks a good deal of appearance, and always knows what sort of ties
are worn. He dances well, and is very pleased if people take him for an
officer in civilian's clothes. But he is a true soul, and has a heart
of gold. He is clever too, practical, and would do for me as much as I
would do for him with all my heart."

"Hardly one unpleasant word for an absent friend. That is scarcely as
my friends speak of me," and she quietly added: "Nor as I speak of my
friends. You make me curious about Herr--"

"Haber."

"You must introduce him to us."

"He would be most happy."

Loulou now knew more about Wilhelm than she had hitherto known of any
man in the world. Only on one point was she unenlightened, and this she
hastened to clear up on the following day, when they were looking for
berries in the wood.

"You asked me if my heart had been touched yet. Would it be right if I
were to ask you the same question?"

"The question seems very natural to me--I can truthfully assure you I
have never been in love, not even with a pastor with long hair."

"And has no one been in love with you?"

Wilhelm looked at the distance, and said dreamily:

"No; yet once--"

She felt a little stab at her heart, and said:

"Quick, tell me about it."

"It is a wonderful story--it happened in Moscow."

"But you were only a child then?"

"Yes, and she who loved me was a child too. She was four years old."

"Ah," said Loulou, with an involuntary sigh of relief.

"When I was about ten years old I was sitting one sunny autumn
afternoon in the yard of our house on a little stool, and was deep in a
story of pirates. Suddenly a shadow fell on my book. I looked up, and
saw a wonderfully beautiful child before me, a long-haired,
rosy-cheeked little girl, who looked at me with deep shining eyes,
half-timidly, and shyly held her hand before her mouth. I smiled in a
friendly way, and called to her to come nearer. She sprang close to me,
at once threw her arms joyfully round my neck, kissed me, sat down on
my knee, and said, 'Now tell me what your name is. I am a little girl,
and my name is Sonia. I am not going away from you. Let me go to sleep
for a little.' An old servant who had followed her came up and said in
astonishment, 'Well, young sir, you may be proud of yourself, the child
is generally so wild and rough, and with you she is as tame as a
kitten.'