ully aware of the fact that he had never been able to work this
way before. When a man accomplishes the extraordinary, he knows it. It
seizes him like a disease, and fills him like a profound dream.

At times he felt as though he must tell some one about it, even if it
were only Herr Carovius. But once the flame had died down, he could not
help but laugh at the temptation to which he had felt himself subjected.
"Patience," he thought, feeling more assured than ever, "patience,
patience!"

Since his work on the manuscripts was completed and his connection with
the firm of Philander and Sons dissolved, he began to look around for
another position. He had saved in the course of the last few years four
thousand marks, but he wished to keep this sum intact.

He learned that the position of organist at the Church of St. AEgydius
was vacant; he went to the pastor, who recommended him to his superiors.
It was decided that he should play something before the church
consistory. This he did one morning in October. The trial proved
eminently successful to his exacting auditors.

He was appointed organist at St. AEgydius's at a salary of twelve hundred
marks a year. When he played on Sundays and holidays, the people came
into the church just to hear him.

XVI

Among the suitors for the hand of Dorothea on whom Andreas Doederlein
looked with special favour was the mill owner, a man by the name of
Weisskopf. Herr Weisskopf was passionately fond of music. He had greatly
admired Dorothea when she gave her concert, and had sent her a laurel
wreath.

One day Herr Weisskopf came in and took dinner with the Doederleins. When
he left, Doederlein said to his daughter: "My dear Dorothea, from this
day on you may consider yourself betrothed. This admirable man desires
to have you as his lawfully wedded wife. It is a great good fortune; the
man is as rich as Croesus."

Instead of making a reply, Dorothea laughed heartily. But she knew that
the time had come when something had to be done. Her mobile face
twitched with scorn, fear, and desire.

"Think it over; sleep on it. I have promised Herr Weisskopf to let him
know to-morrow," said Doederlein, black-browed.

A week before this, Andreas Doederlein, confidently expecting that Herr
Weisskopf would ask for the hand of his daughter, had borrowed a
thousand marks from him. The miller had loaned him the money believing
that he was thereby securing a pro