w from
society, entering it only occasionally, as if she were performing a
burdensome duty. She studied, she painted, she practised music, she
occupied herself with artists, scholars, and statesmen; and she wore a
constant rigidity of countenance and look, except when she was flinging
around her criticisms, which always produced a greater impression from
the fact that her deep, masculine voice was in striking contrast with
her feminine appearance.

It created considerable excitement, when it was understood that Bella
had removed the opposition of her parents to her younger sister's
marrying before her. Bella stood before the altar by the side of her
sister, and through her sister's bridal veil she saw the dark brown eye
of the Adjutant General, who had been recently made a widower, fixed
upon herself. She moved her lips slightly, saying to herself with
self-rejoicing pride. You will woo me in vain. She took delight in
wounding, disturbing, breaking hearts, by turns enticing and then
repelling them. She had said to her father, I should be glad to marry,
if one can like to do what one cannot bring his mind to do; but to
stand up before the altar and say yes, for life and for death!----I was
frightened when I heard my sister say that, and I thought that I must
cry out, "No! No! No!" And I do not answer for myself, that I should
not involuntarily say no.

She proffered herself as companion of an invalid princess, who was
ordered to reside for a year at Madeira; on returning, after the death
of the princess at the island, Bella smiled when she was told of the
Adjutant General's marriage. She could not complain that suitors
gradually grew fewer in number, but still she was vexed at it.

She took now a journey with two English ladies to Italy and Greece,
with Lootz for her courier. She spent a whole winter at Constantinople,
and the malicious tongues at the capital said, that she was after a man
of exalted position, and that everything else was a matter of
indifference to her; that she would marry a gray-bearded Pacha. On her
return Bella generally appeared dressed in satin.

Then came Clodwig's suit; and, to the great surprise of the whole
capital, the betrothal and the wedding took place within four weeks of
each other. Bella retired with her husband to Wolfsgarten, not
essentially changed by marriage, and without gaining that full
development of the nature it gives to woman. What was there still to be
developed? She wa