ing a painful
interview. When I have said that my child has disobeyed me, I have
said all that the question holds. As for the future of you two, I have
naturally nothing more to say about it. I cannot love a disobedient
child, nor ever shall again. For the present, we will part; and if at
the end of a year my daughter is happy with you, and desires to see
me, I shall make no objection to such a meeting. I need not say that
if she is unhappy with you my house will always be open to her, if she
chooses to return to it."

"No, sir, most emphatically, you need not say it!" cried Nino, with
blazing eyes. Lira took no notice of him, but turned to go.

Hedwig would try once more to soften him, though she knew it was
useless.

"Father," she said, in tones of passionate entreaty, "will you not say
you wish me well? Will you not forgive me?" She sprang to him and
would have held him back.

"I wish you no ill," he answered shortly, pushing her aside, and he
marched to the door, where he paused, bowed as stiffly as ever, and
disappeared.

It was very rude of us, perhaps, but no one accompanied him to the
stairs. As for me, I would not have believed it possible that any
human being could be so hard and relentlessly virtuous; and if I had
wondered at first that Hedwig should have so easily made up her mind
to flight, I was no longer surprised when I saw with my own eyes how
he could treat her.

I cannot, indeed, conceive how she could have borne it so long, for
the whole character of the man came out, hard, cold, and narrow,--such
a character as must be more hideous than any description can paint it,
when seen in the closeness of daily conversation. But when he was gone
the sun appeared to shine again, as he had shone all day, though it
had sometimes seemed so dark. The storms were in that little room.

As Lira went out, Nino, who had followed Hedwig closely, caught her in
his arms, and once more her face rested on his broad breast. I sat
down and pretended to be busy with a pile of old papers that lay near
by on the table, but I could hear what they said. The dear children,
they forgot all about me.

"I am so sorry, dear one," said Nino soothingly.

"I know you are, Nino. But it cannot be helped."

"But are you sorry, too, Hedwig?" he asked, stroking her hair.

"That my father is angry? Yes. I wish he were not," said she, looking
wistfully toward the door.

"No, not that," said Nino. "Sorry that you left him, I mean.