hort and fast; her cheeks were burning. He who knows himself to
be--must judge others--nothing is perfect--no one--She felt as if she
must speak, and at last said: "The queen deserves to have a friend like
you."

"I place myself beside you," said Gunther calmly. "I believe that we
both deserve the friendship of that pure heart."

"And so you believe that friendship can exist between married people of
different sex?" inquired Bruno.

"I know it," replied Gunther.

At the first posting-house, where they came upon noisy crowds, the
postmaster informed them that the election was going on, and that the
contest was quite an excited one. The "Blacks" would certainly be
defeated.

Bruno, who had alighted, asked the postillion:

"My noble fellow-citizen, have you exercised your sovereign right of
voting to-day?"

"Yes, and against the 'Blacks'."

They drove on.

Bruno did not get out at the other stations. They were drawing near to
Eberhard's district. While they were changing horses at the assize
town, they heard loud cries of: "Long live Count Eberhard! Victory!"

"What's that?" inquired Gunther, putting his head out of the carriage
door.

He was informed that, in spite of the "Blacks," Count Eberhard would
prove the victor. The opposition had started a contemptible rumor,
intended to disgrace the old count. But, although meant to injure
others, it had proved a stumbling-block to themselves; for every one
had said: "A father can't help what his child does, and, for that very
reason, greater respect should now be shown him."--Irma drew back into
the dark corner of the carriage and held her breath.

They drove on without saying a word.

After they had started, Bruno said it was too warm for him in the
carriage, and that it did not agree with him to ride backward. Still,
he would not suffer Gunther to change seats with him. He ordered the
carriage to stop and, telling the lackey to sit up with the driver,
placed himself on the back seat, next to the waiting-maid. Irma took
off her hat and laid her head back. It was heavy with sad thoughts. Now
and then, when the road lay along the edge of a precipice, she would
quickly raise herself in her seat. She felt as if she must plunge into
the abyss; but, weak and feeble, she would fall back again. Gunther,
too, remained silent; and thus they drove on through the night, without
uttering a word.

At one time, the waiting-maid would have laughed out aloud, but Bruno
held