so that we can serve it to her while it's still
hot!"

And Philippina--she had never taken her eyes off the floor the entire
evening--seemed to be utterly unconscious of the fact at present that
she was surrounded by houses and people. She was a defeated woman; she
wanted to be. She had much to conceal; her young breast was a hell of
emotions, but her ugly, gloomy old face was as inanimate and empty as a
stone.

Herr Carovius waited at the gate. After all the other people had gone,
Daniel, Benda, Wurzelmann, and Eleanore came along. Daniel's storm cape
fluttered in the wind; his hat was drawn down over his eyes. Herr
Carovius stepped up before him.

"A heroic deed, my dear Nothafft," he miauled. "I could embrace you.
From this time on you can count me among your friends. Now stand still,
you human being transformed into a hurricane. I must say of course that
so far as your music is concerned, I am not with you. There is too much
hullaballoo in it, and not enough plain hellishness to suit me. But rid
this country of the whole tribe of Doederleins, and you will find that I
am your man. Not that I would invite you to take dinner with me, so that
you could have me make you a loan, not on your life. I am only a poor
musician myself. But otherwise I am at your service. I hope you sleep
well to-night--and get the hullaballoo out of your music just as soon as
you can."

He tittered, and then scampered away. Daniel looked at him with a
feeling of astonishment. Wurzelmann laughed, and said he had never seen
such a queer codger in all his life. All four stood there for a while,
not knowing exactly what to think, and in the meantime it was snowing
and raining. Asked by Benda where he wished to go, Daniel said he was
going home. But what could he do at home? Why couldn't he go home with
Benda? "No," said Daniel, "I can't do that: I am a burden to every one
to-day, including myself. Say, little servant, how are you feeling?" he
said, turning to Wurzelmann, "how about a drink or two?"

Wurzelmann, somewhat embarrassed, said that he had an engagement. There
was something repulsive in the way he declined the invitation.

"Ah, you, with your old engagement," said Daniel, "I don't give a hang
where you are going; I am going along."

"No, you're not, Daniel," cried Eleanore. And when Daniel looked at her
in astonishment, she blushed and continued: "You are not going with him;
he is going to see some women!"

The three young men l