ce's account of himself sounded tame and unimportant;
he felt, too, that the circumstances of English life were too far
removed from his companion's sphere, for the latter to be able to
understand them.

On waking next morning, Maurice recalled the incidents of the evening
with a smile; felt a touch of warmth at the remembrance of the moment
when he had held Krafft's hand in his; then classed the whole episode
as strained, and dismissed it from his mind. He had just shut the
piano, after a busy forenoon, when Krafft burst in, his cheeks pink
with haste and excitement. He had discovered a room to let, in the
house he lived in, and nothing would satisfy him but that Maurice
should come instantly to see it. Laughing at his eagerness, Maurice put
forward his reasons for preferring to remain where he was. But Krafft
would take no denial, and not wishing to hurt his feelings, Maurice
gave way, and agreed at least to look at the room.

It was larger and more cheerful than his own, and had also, a
convenient alcove for the bedstead; and after inspecting it, Maurice
felt willing to expend the extra marks it cost. They withdrew to
Krafft's room to come to a decision. There, however, they found Avery
Hill, who, as soon as she heard what they contemplated, put a veto on
it. Growing pale, as she always did where others would have flushed,
she said: "It is an absurd idea--sheer nonsense! I won't have it,
understand that! Pray, excuse me," she continued to Maurice, speaking
in a more friendly tone than she had yet used to him, "but you must not
listen to him. It is just one of his whims--nothing more. In less than
a week, you would wish yourself away again. You have no idea how
changeable he is--how impossible to live with."

Maurice hastened to reassure her. Krafft did not speak; he stood at the
window, with his back to them, his forehead pressed against the glass.

So Maurice continued to live in the BRAUSTRASSE, under the despotic
rule of Frau Krause, who took every advantage of his good-nature. But
after this, not a day passed without his seeing Krafft; the latter
sought him out on trivial pretexts. Maurice hardly recognised him: he
was gentle, amiable, and amenable to reason; he subordinated himself
entirely to Maurice, and laid an ever-increasing weight on his opinion.
Maurice became able to wind him round his finger; and the hint of a
reproof from him served to throw Krafft into a state of nervous
depression. Without diffic