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。