ple, who are not easily moved yourselves. You still but faith
in these trite remedies; for you've never known the ills they're
supposed to cure."

"Never mind me. It's you we have to think of. And I want you to give my
old-fashioned remedy a trial."

But she did not answer, and again a few minutes went by, before she
stretched out her hand to him. "Forget what I've said to-night. I shall
never speak of it again.--But then you, too, must promise not to make
me go out alone--to think and remember--in all the dirt and ugliness of
the streets."

And Maurice promised.

IX.

The unnatural position circumstances had forced him into, was to him
summed up in the fact that he had spoken in defence of the man he
despised above all others. Only at isolated moments was he content with
the part he played; it was wholly unlike what he had intended. He had
wished to be friend and mentor to her, and he was now both; but
nevertheless, there was something wrong about his position. It seemed
as if he had at first been satisfied with too low a place in her
esteem, ever to allow of him taking a higher one. He was conscious that
in her liking for him, there was a drop of contempt. And he tormented
himself with such a question as: should a new crisis in her life arise,
would she, now that she knows you, turn to you? And in moments of
despondency he answered no. He felt the tolerance that lurked in her
regard for him. Kindness and care on his part were not enough.

None of his friends had an idea of what was going on. No one he knew
lived in the neighbourhood of the BRUDERSTRASSE; and, the skating at an
end, he was free to spend his time as he chose. When another brief nip
of frost occurred, he alleged pressure of work, and did not take
advantage of it.

Then, early one morning, Dove paid him a visit, with a list in his
hand. Since the night of the skating party, his acquaintances had not
seen much of Dove; for he had been in close attendance on the pretty
little American, who made no scruple of exacting his services. Now,
after some preamble, it came out that he wished to include Maurice in a
list of mutual friends, who were clubbing to give a ball--a "Bachelors'
Ball," Dove called it, since the gentlemen were to pay for the tickets,
and to invite the ladies. But Maurice, vexed at the interruption, made
it clear that he had neither time nor inclination for an affair of this
kind: he did not care a rap for dancing. And after do