rded Linda, no trouble need have been taken in
inquiring after Ludovic. She made no inquiry respecting him. She
would not even listen to Tetchen when Tetchen would suggest this or
that mode of ascertaining where he might be. She had allowed herself
to be reconciled to Tetchen, because Tetchen had taken her part
against Peter Steinmarc; but she would submit to no intrigue at the
old woman's instance. "I do not want to see him ever again, Tetchen."

"But, fraulein, you loved him."

"Yes, and I do. But of what use is such love? I could do him no good.
If he were there, opposite,--where he used to be,--I would not cross
the river to him."

"I hope, my dear, that it mayn't be so with you always, that's all,"
Tetchen had said. But Linda had no vestige of such hope at her heart.
The journey to Augsburg had been to her the cause of too much agony,
had filled her with too real a sense of maidenly shame, to enable her
to look forward with hope to any adventure in which Ludovic should
have to take a part. To escape from Peter Steinmarc, whether by
death, or illness, or flight, or sullen refusal,--but to escape from
him let the cost to herself be what it might,--that was all that she
now desired. But she thought that escape was not possible to her. She
was coming at last to believe that she would have to stand up in the
church and give her hand. If it were so, all Nuremberg should ring
with the tragedy of their nuptials.

Since Peter had returned, and expressed to Madame Staubach his
willingness to go on with the marriage, he had, after a fashion, been
again taken into that lady's favour. He had behaved very badly, but a
fault repented was a fault to be forgiven. "I am sorry that there was
a rumpus, Madame Staubach," he had said, "but you see that there is
so much to put a man's back up when a girl runs away with a man in
the middle of the night, you know."

"Peter," the widow had replied, interrupting him, "that need not be
discussed again. The wickedness of the human heart is so deep that
it cannot be fathomed; but we have the word of the Lord to show to
us that no sinner is too vile to be forgiven. What you said in your
anger was cruel and unmanly, but it has been pardoned." Then Peter
sat down and lighted his pipe. He did not like the tone of his
friend's remarks, but he knew well that there was nothing to be
gained by discussing such matters with Madame Staubach. It was better
for him to take his old seat quietly, and at