rsault, become mingled with the gloomy bass, and be lost forever."

Eleanore looked at him in amazement; he had never seemed so much like a
fool to her in her life.

"Listen," he said, putting his arm in hers, "I have composed a song;
here is the way it goes." He sang a melody he had written for one of
Eichendorff's poems. In it there was a tender sadness. "While everything
is still and everybody asleep, my soul greets the eternal light, and
rests like a ship in the harbour."

They had again reached the front door; they had been strolling back and
forth for two hours.

He had an unpleasant feeling when he went up the steps of his apartment.

Gertrude was sitting where he had left her: by the clothes press. She
had wrapped his top coat about her legs, her back was leaning against
the wall, her head had sunk on her shoulder; she was asleep. She was not
awakened by his coming. Beside her stood the candle, now burned down to
the edge of the metal holder; it was spluttering. The light from it fell
on Gertrude's face, lighting it up irregularly and lending it a painful
expression.

"In the presence of God my wife," murmured Daniel. He did not waken
Gertrude until the candle had gone out. Then he did; she got up, and the
two went off in darkness to their bed room.

THE GLASS CASE BREAKS

I

Daniel wished to see Eleanore skate; he went out to the Maxfeld at a
time he knew she would be there.

He saw her quite soon, and was delighted when she glided by; but when
she was lost in the crowd, he frowned. High school boys followed her
with cowardly and obtrusive forwardness. One student, who wore a red
cap, fell flat on his stomach as he bowed to her.

She ran into two army officers, or they into her; this put an end for
the time being to the inspired grace of her movement. When she started
off a second time, drawing a beautiful circle, she saw Daniel and came
over to him. She smiled in a confidential way, chatted with him, glided
backwards in a circle about him, laughed at his impatience because she
would not stand still, threw her muff over to him, asked him to throw it
back, and, with arms raised to catch it, cut an artistic figure on the
ice.

The picture she offered filled Daniel with reverence for the harmony of
her being.

II

They frequently took walks after sunset out to the suburbs and up to the
castle.