y with you, to be sure,
because--but when I spoke I really and truly did not think of you, but
only of poor Paula. You do not know how good she is, and grandfather was
so fond of her before you came home; and he was lying there and going to
die so soon, and I knew that he believed Paula to be a thief and a liar,
and it seemed to me so horrible, so unbearable to see him close his eyes
with such a mistake in his mind, such an injustice!--Not for his sake,
oh no! but for Paula's; so then I--Oh Orion! the Merciful Saviour is
my witness, I could not help it; if I had had to die for it I could not
have helped it! I should have died, if I had not spoken!"

"And perhaps it was well that you spoke," interrupted the young man,
with a deep sigh. "You see, child, your lost father's miserable brother
is a ruined man and it matters little about him; but Paula, who is a
thousand times better than I am, has at least had justice done her; and
as I love her far more dearly than your little heart can conceive of, I
will gladly be friends with you again: nay, I shall be more fond of you
than ever. That is nothing great or noble, for I need love--much love to
make life tolerable. The best love a man may have I have forfeited,
fool that I am! and now dear, good little soul, I could not bear to lose
yours! So there is my hand upon it; now, give me another kiss and then
go to bed and sleep."

But still Mary would not do his bidding, but only thanked him vehemently
and then asked with sparkling eyes:

"Really, truly? Do you love Paula so dearly?" At this point however she
suddenly checked herself. "And little Katharina..."

"Never mind about that," he replied with a sigh. "And learn a lesson
from all this. I, you see, in an hour of recklessness did a wrong thing;
to hide it I had to do further wrong, till it grew to a mountain which
fell on me and crushed me. Now, I am the most miserable of men and I
might perhaps have been the happiest. I have spoilt my own life by my
own folly, weakness, and guilt; and I have lost Paula, who is dearer to
me than all the other creatures on earth put together. Yes, Mary, if she
had been mine, your poor uncle would have been the most enviable fellow
in the world, and he might have been a fine fellow, too, a man of great
achievements. But as it is!--Well, what is done cannot be undone! Now go
to bed child; you cannot understand it all till you are older."

"Oh I understand it already and much better perhaps t