ulfil your
functions worthily and promote justice in my behalf by calling in both
these witnesses and hearing their evidence."

On this Orion interposed with forced composure: "As to whether a
soft-hearted child ought to be exposed to the temptation to save the
friend she absolutely worships by giving evidence before the judges, be
it what it may, only her grandparents can decide. Her tender years would
at any rate detract from the validity of her evidence, and I am averse
to involving a child of this house in this dubious affair. With regard
to Katharina, it is, on the contrary, the duty of this court to request
her presence, and I offer myself to go and fetch her."

He resolutely resisted Paula's attempts to interrupt him again: she
should have a patient hearing presently in the presence of her witness.
The gem no doubt had come to her from her father. But at this her
righteous indignation was again too much for her; she cried out quite
beside herself:

"No, and again no. Some reprobate scoundrel, an accomplice of
yours--yes, I repeat it--made his way into my room while I was in the
sick-room, and either forced the lock of my trunk or opened it with a
false key."

"That can easily be proved," said Orion. In a confident tone he desired
that the box should be placed on the table, and requested one of the
council, who understood such matters, to give his opinion. Paula knew
the man well. He was one of the most respected members of the household,
the chief mechanician whose duty it was to test and repair the
water-clocks, balances, measures and other instruments. He at once
proceeded to examine the lock and found it in perfect order, though
the key, which was of peculiar form, could certainly not have found a
substitute in any false key; and Paula was forced to admit that she had
left the trunk locked at noon and had worn the key round her neck ever
since. Orion listened to his opinion with a shrug, and before going to
seek Katharina gave orders that Paula and the nurse should be conducted
to separate rooms. To arrive at any clear decision in this matter,
it was necessary that any communication between these two should be
rendered impossible. As soon as the door was shut on them he hastened
into the garden, where he hoped to find Katharina.

The council looked after him with divided feelings. They were here
confronted by riddles that were hard to solve. No one of them felt that
he had a right to doubt the good inten