humour。
　　"Ah，then，yousawthatwonderfullady？"
　　"Wonderfulshewasindeed。Isawherafterwards，too，sittingontheterraceinthestarlight。Iimagineshewasnotalone。"
　　"No，indeed，Iwaswithher——fornearlyanhour。ThenIwalkedhomewithher。"
　　"Ah！Anddidyougoin？"
　　"No，shesaiditwastoolatetoaskme;thoughsheremarkedthatinageneralwayshedidnotstanduponceremony。"
　　"Shedidherselfinjustice。Whenitcametolosingyourmoneyforyou，shemadeyouinsist。"
　　"Ah，younoticedthattoo？"criedPickering，stillquiteunconfused。
　　"Ifeltasifthewholetablewerestaringatme;buthermannerwassograciousandreassuringthatIsupposedshewasdoingnothingunusual。Sheconfessed，however，afterwards，thatsheisveryeccentric。Theworldbegantocallherso，shesaid，beforesheeverdreamedofit，andatlastfindingthatshehadthereputation，inspiteofherself，sheresolvedtoenjoyitsprivileges。Now，shedoeswhatshechooses。"
　　"Inotherwords，sheisaladywithnoreputationtolose！"
　　Pickeringseemedpuzzled;hesmiledalittle。"Isnotthatwhatyousayofbadwomen？"
　　"Ofsome——ofthosewhoarefoundout。"
　　"Well，"hesaid，stillsmiling，"IhavenotyetfoundoutMadameBlumenthal。"
　　"Ifthat’shername，Isupposeshe’sGerman。"
　　"Yes;butshespeaksEnglishsowellthatyouwouldn’tknowit。Sheisveryclever。Herhusbandisdead。"
　　Ilaughedinvoluntarilyattheconjunctionofthesefacts，andPickering’sclearglanceseemedtoquestionmymirth。"Youhavebeensobluntlyfrankwithme，"Isaid，"thatItoomustbefrank。Tellme，ifyoucan，whetherthiscleverMadameBlumenthal，whosehusbandisdead，hasgivenapointtoyourdesireforasuspensionofcommunicationwithSmyrna。"
　　Heseemedtopondermyquestion，unshrinkingly。"Ithinknot，"hesaid，atlast。"Ihavehadthedesireforthreemonths;IhaveknownMadameBlumenthalforlessthantwenty—fourhours。"
　　"Verytrue。Butwhenyoufoundthisletterofyoursonyourplaceatbreakfast，didyouseemforamomenttoseeMadameBlumenthalsittingopposite？"
　　"Opposite？"
　　"Opposite，mydearfellow，oranywhereintheneighbourhood。Inaword，doessheinterestyou？"
　　"Verymuch！"hecried，joyously。
　　"Amen！"Ianswered，jumpingupwithalaugh。"Andnow，ifwearetoseetheworldinamonth，thereisnotimetolose。LetusbeginwiththeHardtwald。"
　　Pickeringrose，andwestrolledawayintotheforest，talkingoflighterthings。Atlastwereachedtheedgeofthewood，satdownonafallenlog，andlookedoutacrossanintervalofmeadowatthelongwoodedwavesoftheTaunus。WhatmyfriendwasthinkingofIcan’tsay;Iwasmeditatingonhisqueerbiography，andlettingmywondermentwanderawaytoSmyrna。SuddenlyIrememberedthathepossessedaportraitoftheyounggirlwhowaswaitingforhimthereinawhite—walledgarden。Iaskedhimifhehaditwithhim。Hesaidnothing，butgravelytookouthispocket—bookanddrewforthasmallphotograph。Itrepresented，asthepoetsays，asimplemaideninherflower——aslightyounggirl，withacertainchildishroundnessofcontour。Therewasnoeaseinherposture;shewasstanding，stifflyandshyly，forherlikeness;sheworeashort—waistedwhitedress;herarmshungathersidesandherhandswereclaspedinfront;herheadwasbentdownwardalittle，andherdarkeyesfixed。
　　Butherawkwardnesswasasprettyasthatofsomeangularseraphinamediaevalcarving，andinhertimidgazethereseemedtolurkthequestioninggleamofchildhood。"Whatisthisfor？"hercharmingeyesappearedtoask;"whyhaveIbeendressedupforthisceremonyinawhitefrockandamberbeads？"
　　"Graciouspowers！"Isaidtomyself;"whatanenchantingthingisinnocence！"
　　"Thatportraitwastakenayearandahalfago，"saidPickering，asifwithanefforttobeperfectlyjust。"Bythistime，Isuppose，shelooksalittlewiser。"
　　"Notmuch，Ihope，"Isaid，asIgaveitback。"Sheisverysweet！"
　　"Yes，poorgirl，sheisverysweet——nodoubt！"Andheputthethingawaywithoutlookingatit。
　　Weweresilentforsomemoments。Atlast，abruptly——"Mydearfellow，"Isaid，"IshouldtakesomesatisfactioninseeingyouimmediatelyleaveHomburg。"
　　"Immediately？"
　　"To—day——assoonasyoucangetready。"
　　Helookedatme，surprised，andlittlebylittleheblushed。"ThereissomethingIhavenottoldyou，"hesaid;"somethingthatyoursayingthatMadameBlumenthalhasnoreputationtolosehasmademehalfafraidtotellyou。"
　　"IthinkIcanguessit。MadameBlumenthalhasaskedyoutocomeandplayhergameforheragain。"
　　"Notatall！"criedPickering，withasmileoftriumph。"Shesaysthatshemeanstoplaynomoreforthepresent。Shehasaskedmetocomeandtaketeawithherthisevening。"
　　"Ah，then，"Isaid，verygravely，"ofcourseyoucan’tleaveHomburg。"
　　Heanswerednothing，butlookedaskanceatme，asifhewereexpectingmetolaugh。"Urgeitstrongly，"hesaidinamoment。
　　"Sayit’smyduty——thatIMUST。"
　　Ididn’tquiteunderstandhim，but，featheringtheshaftwithaharmlessexpletive，ItoldhimthatunlesshefollowedmyadviceI
　　wouldneverspeaktohimagain。
　　Hegotup，stoodbeforeme，andstruckthegroundwithhisstick。
　　"Good！"hecried;"Iwantedanoccasiontobreakarule——toleapabarrier。Hereitis。Istay！"
　　Imadehimamockbowforhisenergy。"That’sveryfine，"Isaid;
　　"butnow，toputyouinapropermoodforMadameBlumenthal’stea，wewillgoandlistentothebandplaySchubertunderthelindens。"Andwewalkedbackthroughthewoods。
　　IwenttoseePickeringthenextday，athisinn，andonknocking，asdirected，athisdoor，wassurprisedtohearthesoundofaloudvoicewithin。Myknockremainedunnoticed，soIpresentlyintroducedmyself。Ifoundnocompany，butIdiscoveredmyfriendwalkingupanddowntheroomandapparentlydeclaimingtohimselffromalittlevolumeboundinwhitevellum。Hegreetedmeheartily，threwhisbookonthetable，andsaidthathewastakingaGermanlesson。
　　"Andwhoisyourteacher？"Iasked，glancingatthebook。
　　Heratheravoidedmeetingmyeye，asheanswered，afteraninstant’sdelay，"MadameBlumenthal。"
　　"Indeed！Hasshewrittenagrammar？"
　　"It’snotagrammar;it’satragedy。"Andhehandedmethebook。
　　Iopenedit，andbeheld，indelicatetype，withaverylargemargin，anHistorischesTrauerspielinfiveacts，entitled"Cleopatra。"
　　Therewereagreatmanymarginalcorrectionsandannotations，apparentlyfromtheauthor’shand;thespeecheswereverylong，andtherewasaninordinatenumberofsoliloquiesbytheheroine。Oneofthem，Iremember，towardstheendoftheplay，beganinthisfashion—
　　"What，afterall，islifebutsensation，andsensationbutdeception？——realitythatpalesbeforethelightofone’sdreamsasOctavia’sdullbeautyfadesbesidemine？Butletmebelieveinsomeintenserbliss，andseekitinthearmsofdeath！"
　　"Itseemsdecidedlypassionate，"Isaid。"Hasthetragedyeverbeenacted？"
　　"Neverinpublic;butMadameBlumenthaltellsmethatshehaditplayedatherownhouseinBerlin，andthatsheherselfundertookthepartoftheheroine。"
　　Pickering’sunworldlylifehadnotbeenofasorttosharpenhisperceptionoftheridiculous，butitseemedtomeanunmistakablesignofhisbeingunderthecharm，thatthisinformationwasverysoberlyoffered。Hewaspreoccupied，hewasirresponsivetomyexperimentalobservationsonvulgartopics——thehotweather，theinn，theadventofAdelinaPatti。Atlast，utteringhisthoughts，heannouncedthatMadameBlumenthalhadprovedtobeanextraordinarilyinterestingwoman。HeseemedtohavequiteforgottenourlongtalkintheHartwaldt，andbetrayednosenseofthisbeingaconfessionthathehadtakenhisplungeandwasfloatingwiththecurrent。HeonlyrememberedthatIhadspokenslightinglyofthelady，andhenowhintedthatitbehovedmetoamendmyopinion。Ihadreceivedthedaybeforesostronganimpressionofasortofspiritualfastidiousnessinmyfriend’snature，thatonhearingnowthestrikingofanewhour，asitwere，inhisconsciousness，andobservinghowtheechoesofthepastwereimmediatelyquenchedinitsmusic，Isaidtomyselfthatithadcertainlytakenadelicatehandtowindupthatfinemachine。NodoubtMadameBlumenthalwasacleverwoman。ItisagoodGermancustomatHomburgtospendthehourprecedingdinnerinlisteningtotheorchestraintheKurgarten;
　　MozartandBeethoven，fororganismsinwhichtheinterfusionofsoulandsenseispeculiarlymysterious，areavigorousstimulustotheappetite。PickeringandIconformed，aswehaddonethedaybefore，tothefashion，andwhenwewereseatedunderthetrees，hebegantoexpatiateonhisfriend’smerits。
　　"Idon’tknowwhethersheiseccentricornot，"hesaid;"tomeeveryoneseemseccentric，andit’snotforme，yetawhile，tomeasurepeoplebymynarrowprecedents。Ineversawagamingtableinmylifebefore，andsupposedthatagamblerwasofnecessitysomeduskyvillainwithanevileye。InGermany，saysMadameBlumenthal，peopleplayatrouletteastheyplayatbilliards，andherownvenerablemotheroriginallytaughthertherulesofthegame。Itisarecognisedsourceofsubsistencefordecentpeoplewithsmallmeans。
　　ButIconfessMadameBlumenthalmightdoworsethingsthanplayatroulette，andyetmakethemharmoniousandbeautiful。Ihaveneverbeeninthehabitofthinkingpositivebeautythemostexcellentthinginawoman。Ihavealwayssaidtomyselfthatifmyheartwereevertobecaptureditwouldbebyasortofgeneralgrace——asweetnessofmotionandtone——onwhichonecouldcountforsoothingimpressions，asonecountsonamusicalinstrumentthatisperfectlyintune。MadameBlumenthalhasit——thisgracethatsoothesandsatisfies;anditseemsthemoreperfectthatitkeepsorderandharmonyinacharacterreallypassionatelyardentandactive。Withhereagernatureandherinnumerableaccomplishmentsnothingwouldbeeasierthanthatsheshouldseemrestlessandaggressive。Youwillknowher，andIleaveyoutojudgewhethershedoesseemso！Shehaseverygift，andculturehasdoneeverythingforeach。WhatgoesoninhermindIofcoursecan’tsay;whatreachestheobserver——theadmirer——issimplyasortoffragrantemanationofintelligenceandsympathy。"
　　"MadameBlumenthal，"Isaid，smiling，"mightbetheloveliestwomanintheworld，andyoutheobjectofherchoicestfavours，andyetwhatIshouldmostenvyyouwouldbe，notyourpeerlessfriend，butyourbeautifulimagination。"
　　"That’sapolitewayofcallingmeafool，"saidPickering。"Youareasceptic，acynic，asatirist！IhopeIshallbealongtimecomingtothat。"
　　"Youwillmakethejourneyfastifyoutravelbyexpresstrains。Butpraytellme，haveyouventuredtointimatetoMadameBlumenthalyourhighopinionofher？"
　　"Idon’tknowwhatImayhavesaid。Shelistensevenbetterthanshetalks，andIthinkitpossibleImayhavemadeherlistentoagreatdealofnonsense。ForafterthefirstfewwordsIexchangedwithherIwasconsciousofanextraordinaryevaporationofallmyolddiffidence。Ihave，intruth，Isuppose，"headdedinamoment，"owingtomypeculiarcircumstances，agreataccumulatedfundofunutteredthingsofallsortstogetridof。Lastevening，sittingtherebeforethatcharmingwoman，theycameswarmingtomylips。
　　VerylikelyIpouredthemallout。Ihaveasenseofhavingenshroudedmyselfinasortofmistoftalk，andofseeingherlovelyeyesshiningthroughitoppositetome，likefog—lampsatsea。"Andhere，ifIrememberrightly，Pickeringbrokeoffintoanardentparenthesis，anddeclaredthatMadameBlumenthal’seyeshadsomethinginthemthathehadneverseeninanyothers。"Itwasajumbleofcruditiesandinanities，"hewenton;"theymusthaveseemedtohergreatrubbish;butIfeltthewiserandthestronger，somehow，forhavingfiredoffallmyguns——theycouldhurtnobodynowiftheyhit—
　　—andIimagineImighthavegonefarwithoutfindinganotherwomaninwhomsuchanexhibitionwouldhaveprovokedsolittleofmerecoldamusement。"
　　"MadameBlumenthal，onthecontrary，"Isurmised，"enteredintoyoursituationwithwarmth。"
　　"Exactlyso——thegreatest！Shehasfeltandsuffered，andnowsheunderstands！"
　　"Shetoldyou，Iimagine，thatsheunderstoodyouasifshehadmadeyou，andsheofferedtobeyourguide，philosopher，andfriend。"
　　"Shespoketome，"Pickeringanswered，afterapause，"asIhadneverbeenspokentobefore，andsheofferedme，formally，alltheofficesofawoman’sfriendship。"
　　"Whichyouasformallyaccepted？"
　　"Toyouthescenesoundsabsurd，Isuppose，butallowmetosayI
　　don’tcare！"Pickeringspokewithanairofgenialdefiancewhichwasthemostinoffensivethingintheworld。"Iwasverymuchmoved;
　　Iwas，infact，verymuchexcited。Itriedtosaysomething，butI
　　couldn’t;Ihadhadplentytosaybefore，butnowIstammeredandbungled，andatlastIboltedoutoftheroom。"
　　"Meanwhileshehaddroppedhertragedyintoyourpocket！"
　　"Notatall。Ihadseenitonthetablebeforeshecamein。
　　AfterwardsshekindlyofferedtoreadGermanaloudwithme，fortheaccent，twoorthreetimesaweek。’Whatshallwebeginwith？’sheasked。’Withthis！’Isaid，andheldupthebook。Andsheletmetakeittolookitover。"
　　Iwasneitheracynicnorasatirist，butevenifIhadbeen，ImighthavebeendisarmedbyPickering’sassurance，beforeweparted，thatMadameBlumenthalwishedtoknowmeandexpectedhimtointroduceme。
　　Amongthefoolishthingswhich，accordingtohisownaccount，hehaduttered，weresomegenerouswordsinmypraise，towhichshehadcivillyreplied。IconfessIwascurioustoseeher，butIbeggedthattheintroductionshouldnotbeimmediate，forIwishedtoletPickeringworkouthisdestinyalone。ForsomedaysIsawlittleofhim，thoughwemetattheKursaalandstrolledoccasionallyinthepark。Iwatched，inspiteofmydesiretolethimalone，forthesignsandportentsoftheworld’sactionuponhim——ofthatportionoftheworld，inespecial，ofwhichMadameBlumenthalhadconstitutedherselftheagent。Heseemedveryhappy，andgavemeinadozenwaysanimpressionofincreasedself—confidenceandmaturity。Hismindwasadmirablyactive，andalways，afteraquarterofanhour’stalkwithhim，Iaskedmyselfwhatexperiencecouldreallydo，thatinnocencehadnotdone，tomakeitbrightandfine。Iwasstruckwithhisdeepenjoymentofthewholespectacleofforeignlife——itsnovelty，itspicturesqueness，itslightandshade——andwiththeinfinitefreedomwithwhichhefelthecouldgoandcomeandroveandlingerandobserveitall。Itwasanexpansion，anawakening，acomingtomoralmanhood。EachtimeImethimhespokealittlelessofMadameBlumenthal;butheletmeknowgenerallythathesawheroften，andcontinuedtoadmireher。Iwasforcedtoadmittomyself，inspiteofpreconceptions，thatifshewerereallytherulingstarofthishappyseason，shemustbeaverysuperiorwoman。Pickeringhadtheairofaningenuousyoungphilosophersittingatthefeetofanausteremuse，andnotofasentimentalspendthriftdanglingaboutsomesupremeincarnationoflevity。
　　CHAPTERII。
　　MadameBlumenthalseemed，forthetime，tohaveabjuredtheKursaal，andInevercaughtaglimpseofher。Heryoungfriend，apparently，wasaninterestingstudy，andthestudiousmindprefersseclusion。
　　Shereappeared，however，atlast，oneeveningattheopera，wherefrommychairIperceivedherinabox，lookingextremelypretty。
　　AdelinaPattiwassinging，andaftertherisingofthecurtainIwasoccupiedwiththestage;butonlookingroundwhenitfellfortheentr’acte，Isawthattheauthoressof"Cleopatra"hadbeenjoinedbyheryoungadmirer。Hewassittingalittlebehindher，leaningforward，lookingoverhershoulderandlistening，whileshe，slowlymovingherfantoandfroandlettinghereyewanderoverthehouse，wasapparentlytalkingofthispersonandthat。Nodoubtshewassayingsharpthings;butPickeringwasnotlaughing;hiseyeswerefollowinghercovertindications;hismouthwashalfopen，asitalwayswaswhenhewasinterested;helookedintenselyserious。I
　　wasgladthat，havingherbacktohim，shewasunabletoseehowhelooked。Itseemedthepropermomenttopresentmyselfandmakehermybow;butjustasIwasabouttoleavemyplaceagentleman，whominamomentIperceivedtobeanoldacquaintance，cametooccupythenextchair。Recognitionandmutualgreetingsfollowed，andIwasforcedtopostponemyvisittoMadameBlumenthal。Iwasnotsorry，foritverysoonoccurredtomethatNiedermeyerwouldbejustthemantogivemeafairproseversionofPickering’slyrictributestohisfriend。HewasanAustrianbybirth，andhadformerlylivedaboutEuropeagreatdealinaseriesofsmalldiplomaticposts。