appy one, and, since they had been
so gentle and forgiving, they felt it their right to denounce her
crime the more severely. It was thus they avenged themselves for the
self-humiliation they had endured; for, while Irma was the prime
favorite, they had paid greater homage to her than to the queen.

They never mentioned the royal couple except in terms of respect--with
all their apparent confidence, they distrusted each other. They felt
that there was trouble ahead, but that it was best for them to appear
unconscious of it.

Countess Brinkenstein was the only one Who had a good word to say for
Irma.

"Her father was greatly to blame," said she; "it was he who instilled
this belief in Irma."

"And yet he had her educated at the convent."

"But she inherited from him a contempt for all forms and traditions,
and that was her misfortune. She had a lovely disposition, was richly
endowed by nature, and her heart was free from the slightest trace of
envy or ill-nature."

No one ventured to contradict Countess Brinkenstein; Perhaps, thought
they, etiquette requires us to speak well of Irma and to forget her
terrible deed.

"Who knows whether her brother would have married the Steigeneck, if he
had known that he was to inherit everything!" softly whispered a
delicate and languishing little lady to her neighbor, while she bent
over her wool-basket.

The one whom she had addressed looked at her with a sad, yet grateful
expression. She had once loved Count Bruno, and still loved him.

"I have a book of hers."

"And I have one of her drawings."

"And I have some of her music."

They shuddered at the thought of possessing articles which had once
been hers, and determined that everything should be sent to her
brother.

"I passed her rooms, early this morning," said Princess Angelica's maid
of honor--she always seemed as if half-frozen, and rubbed her hands and
breathed on her fingertips while she spoke--"the windows were open. I
saw the lonely parrot in his cage, and he kept calling out, 'God keep
you, Irma.' It was dreadful."

They all shuddered, and yet they felt a secret satisfaction in dwelling
on the subject. The pious court lady joined the circle, and mentioned
that Doctor Sixtus had just taken leave of her, that he had started for
the Highlands, that Fein, the notary, had accompanied him, that he had
also taken Baum along, and that they meant to search for the body of
Countess Irma.

"Will he bring her her