eavoured to induce Valcarm
to leave the house. "You had better go, or I shall call at once for
my neighbour Jacob Heisse," said Madame Staubach. Then she did call,
as lustily as she was able, though in vain. Upon this Ludovic, not
knowing how to proceed, unable or unwilling to force his way further
into the house in opposition to Madame Staubach, took his departure,
and as he went met Peter Steinmarc in the passage at the back of
Heisse's house. Madame Staubach was still in the kitchen asking
questions of Tetchen which Tetchen did not answer with perfect truth,
when Peter appeared among them. "Madame Staubach," he said, "that
vagabond Ludovic Valcarm has just been here, in this house."

"He went away but a minute since," said Madame Staubach.

"Just so. That is exactly what I mean. This is a thing not to be
borne,--not to be endured, and shows that your niece Linda is
altogether beyond the reach of any good impressions."

"Peter Steinmarc!"

"Yes, that is all very well; of course I expect that you will take
her part; although, with your high ideas of religion and all that
sort of thing, it is almost unaccountable that you should do so. As
far as I am concerned there must be an end of it. I am not going to
make myself ridiculous to all Nuremberg by marrying a young woman who
has no sense whatever of self-respect. I have overlooked a great deal
too much already,--a great deal too much."

"But Linda has not seen the young man. It was she herself who told me
that he was here."

"Ah, very well. I don't know anything about that. I saw him coming
away from here, and it may be as well to tell you that I have made up
my mind. Linda Tressel is not the sort of young woman that I took her
to be, and I shall have nothing more to say to her."

"You are an old goose," said Tetchen.

"Hold your tongue," said Madame Staubach angrily to her servant.
Though she was very indignant with Peter Steinmarc, still it would go
much against the grain with her that the match should be broken off.
She had resolved so firmly that this marriage was proper for all
purposes, that she had almost come to look at it as though it were
a thing ordained of God. Then, too, she remembered, even in this
moment, that Peter Steinmarc had received great provocation. Her
immediate object was to persuade him that nothing had been done to
give him further provocation. No fault had been committed by Linda
which had not already been made known to him and been