EvenifthiscleverladyenjoyedpoorPickering’sbedazzlement，itwasconceivablethat，takingvanityandcharitytogether，sheshouldcaremoreforhiswelfarethanforherownentertainment;andheroffertoabidebytheresultofhazardouscomparisonwithotherwomenwasafinerstrokethanherreputationhadledmetoexpect。Shereceivedmeinashabbylittlesitting—roomlitteredwithuncutbooksandnewspapers，manyofwhichIsawataglancewereFrench。Onesideofitwasoccupiedbyanopenpiano，surmountedbyajarfullofwhiteroses。Theyperfumedtheair;theyseemedtometoexhalethepurearomaofPickering’sdevotion。Buriedinanarm—chair，theobjectofthisdevotionwasreadingtheRevuedesDeuxMondes。ThepurposeofmyvisitwasnottoadmireMadameBlumenthalonmyownaccount，buttoascertainhowfarImightsafelyleavehertoworkherwilluponmyfriend。Shehadimpugnedmysinceritytheeveningoftheopera，andIwascarefulonthisoccasiontoabstainfromcompliments，andnottoplaceheronherguardagainstmypenetration。Itisneedlesstonarrateourinterviewindetail;
indeed，totelltheperfecttruth，Iwaspunishedformyrashattempttosurpriseherbyatemporaryeclipseofmyownperspicacity。Shesattheresoquestioning，soperceptive，sogenial，sogenerous，andsoprettywithal，thatIwasquitereadyattheendofhalfanhourtosubscribetothemostcomprehensiveofPickering’srhapsodies。
Shewascertainlyawonderfulwoman。Ihaveneverlikedtolinger，inmemory，onthathalf—hour。Theresultofitwastoprovethatthereweremanymorethingsinthecompositionofawomanwho，asNiedermeyersaid，hadlodgedherimaginationintheplaceofherheartthanweredreamtofinmyphilosophy。Yet，asIsattherestrokingmyhatandbalancingtheaccountbetweennatureandartinmyaffablehostess，Ifeltlikeaverycompetentphilosopher。Shehadsaidshewishedmetotellhereverythingaboutourfriend，andshequestionedmeastohisfamily，hisfortune，hisantecedents，andhischaracter。Allthiswasnaturalinawomanwhohadreceivedapassionatedeclarationoflove，anditwasexpressedwithanairofcharmedsolicitude，aradiantconfidencethattherewasreallynomistakeabouthisbeingamostdistinguishedyoungman，andthatifI
chosetobeexplicit，Imightdeepenherconvictiontodisinterestedecstasy，whichmighthavealmostprovokedmetoinventagoodopinion，ifIhadnothadonereadymade。ItoldherthatshereallyknewPickeringbetterthanIdid，andthatuntilwemetatHomburgI
hadnotseenhimsincehewasaboy。
\"Buthetalkstoyoufreely，\"sheanswered;\"Iknowyouarehisconfidant。Hehastoldmecertainlyagreatmanythings，butI
alwaysfeelasifhewerekeepingsomethingback;asifhewereholdingsomethingbehindhim，andshowingmeonlyonehandatonce。
Heseemsoftentobehoveringontheedgeofasecret。Ihavehadseveralfriendshipsinmylife——thankHeaven！butIhavehadnonemoredeartomethanthisone。YetinthemidstofitIhavethepainfulsenseofmyfriendbeinghalfafraidofme;ofhisthinkingmeterrible，strange，perhapsatrifleoutofmywits。Poorme！IfheonlyknewwhataplaingoodsoulIam，andhowIonlywanttoknowhimandbefriendhim！\"
Thesewordswerefullofaplaintivemagnanimitywhichmademistrustseemcruel。HowmuchbetterImightplayprovidenceoverPickering’sexperimentswithlifeifIcouldengagethefineinstinctsofthischarmingwomanontheprovidentialside！Pickering’ssecretwas，ofcourse，hisengagementtoMissVernor;itwasnaturalenoughthatheshouldhavebeenunabletobringhimselftotalkofittoMadameBlumenthal。Thesimplesweetnessofthisyounggirl’sfacehadnotfadedfrommymemory;IcouldnotridmyselfofthesuspicionthatingoingfurtherPickeringmightfaremuchworse。MadameBlumenthal’sprofessionsseemedavirtualpromisetoagreewithme，and，aftersomehesitation，Isaidthatmyfriendhad，infact，asubstantialsecret，andthatperhapsImightdohimagoodturnbyputtingherinpossessionofit。InasfewwordsaspossibleItoldherthatPickeringstoodpledgedbyfilialpietytomarryayoungladyatSmyrna。Shelistenedintentlytomystory;whenIhadfinishedittherewasafaintflushofexcitementineachofhercheeks。Shebrokeoutintoadozenexclamationsofadmirationandcompassion。
\"Whatawonderfultale——whataromanticsituation！NowonderpoorMr。Pickeringseemedrestlessandunsatisfied;nowonderhewishedtoputoffthedayofsubmission。AndthepoorlittlegirlatSmyrna，waitingtherefortheyoungWesternprinceliketheheroineofanEasterntale！Shewouldgivetheworldtoseeherphotograph;didI
thinkMr。Pickeringwouldshowittoher？Butneverfear;shewouldasknothingindiscreet！Yes，itwasamarvellousstory，andifshehadinventeditherself，peoplewouldhavesaiditwasabsurdlyimprobable。\"Sheleftherseatandtookseveralturnsabouttheroom，smilingtoherself，andutteringlittleGermancriesofwonderment。Suddenlyshestoppedbeforethepianoandbrokeintoalittlelaugh;thenextmomentsheburiedherfaceinthegreatbouquetofroses。ItwastimeIshouldgo，butIwasindisposedtoleaveherwithoutobtainingsomedefiniteassurancethat，asfaraspitywasconcerned，shepitiedtheyounggirlatSmyrnamorethantheyoungmanatHomburg。
\"OfcourseyouknowwhatIwishedintellingyouthis，\"Isaid，rising。\"Sheisevidentlyacharmingcreature，andthebestthinghecandoistomarryher。Iwishedtointerestyouinthatviewofit。\"
Shehadtakenoneoftherosesfromthevaseandwasarrangingitinthefrontofherdress。Suddenly，lookingup，\"Leaveittome，leaveittome！\"shecried。\"Iaminterested！\"Andwithherlittleblue—
gemmedhandshetappedherforehead。\"Iamdeeplyinterested！\"
AndwiththisIhadtocontentmyself。ButmorethanoncethenextdayIrepentedofmyzeal，andwonderedwhetheraprovidencewithawhiteroseinherbosommightnotturnoutatrifletoohuman。Intheevening，attheKursaal，IlookedforPickering，buthewasnotvisible，andIreflectedthatmyrevelationhadnotasyet，atanyrate，seemedtoMadameBlumenthalareasonforprescribingacooling—
termtohispassion。Verylate，asIwasturningaway，Isawhimarrive——withnosmallsatisfaction，forIhaddeterminedtolethimknowimmediatelyinwhatwayIhadattemptedtoservehim。Buthestraightwaypassedhisarmthroughmyownandledmeofftowardsthegardens。Isawthathewastooexcitedtoallowmetospeakfirst。
\"Ihaveburntmyships！\"hecried，whenwewereoutofearshotofthecrowd。\"Ihavetoldhereverything。Ihaveinsistedthatit’ssimpletortureformetowaitwiththisidleviewoflovingherless。
It’swellenoughforhertoaskit，butIfeelstrongenoughnowtooverrideherreluctance。Ihavecastoffthemillstonefromroundmyneck。Icarefornothing，Iknownothing，butthatIloveherwitheverypulseofmybeing——andthateverythingelsehasbeenahideousdream，fromwhichshemaywakemeintoblissfulmorningwithasingleword！\"
Iheldhimoffatarm’s—lengthandlookedathimgravely。\"Youhavetoldher，youmean，ofyourengagementtoMissVernor？\"
\"Thewholestory！Ihavegivenitup——Ihavethrownittothewinds。
Ihavebrokenutterlywiththepast。Itmayriseinitsgraveandgivemeitscurse，butitcan’tfrightenmenow。Ihavearighttobehappy，Ihavearighttobefree，Ihavearightnottoburymyselfalive。Itwasnot_I_whopromised——Iwasnotbornthen。I
myself，mysoul，mymind，myoption——allthisisbutamonthold！
Ah，\"hewenton，\"ifyouknewthedifferenceitmakes——thishavingchosenandbrokenandspoken！IamtwicethemanIwasyesterday！
YesterdayIwasafraidofher;therewasakindofmockingmysteryofknowledgeandclevernessabouther，whichoppressedmeinthemidstofmylove。ButnowIamafraidofnothingbutofbeingtoohappy！\"
Istoodsilent，tolethimspendhiseloquence。Buthepausedamoment，andtookoffhishatandfannedhimself。\"Letmeperfectlyunderstand，\"Isaidatlast。\"YouhaveaskedMadameBlumenthaltobeyourwife？\"
\"Thewifeofmyintelligentchoice！\"
\"Anddoessheconsent？\"
\"Sheasksthreedaystodecide。\"
\"Callitfour！Shehasknownyoursecretsincethismorning。IamboundtoletyouknowItoldher。\"
\"Somuchthebetter！\"criedPickering，withoutapparentresentmentorsurprise。\"It’snotabrilliantofferforsuchawoman，andinspiteofwhatIhaveatstake，Ifeelthatitwouldbebrutaltopressher。\"
\"Whatdoesshesaytoyourbreakingyourpromise？\"Iaskedinamoment。
Pickeringwastoomuchinloveforfalseshame。\"Shetellsmethatshelovesmetoomuchtofindcouragetocondemnme。SheagreeswithmethatIhavearighttobehappy。Iasknoexemptionfromthecommonlaw。WhatIclaimissimplyfreedomtotrytobe！\"
OfcourseIwaspuzzled;itwasnotinthatfashionthatIhadexpectedMadameBlumenthaltomakeuseofmyinformation。Butthematternowwasquiteoutofmyhands，andallIcoulddowastobidmycompanionnotworkhimselfintoafeverovereitherfortune。
ThenextdayIhadavisitfromNiedermeyer，onwhom，afterourtalkattheopera，Ihadleftacard。Wegossipedawhile，andatlasthesaidsuddenly，\"Bytheway，IhaveasequeltothehistoryofClorinda。ThemajorisatHomburg！\"
\"Indeed！\"saidI。\"Sincewhen？\"
\"Thesethreedays。\"
\"Andwhatishedoing？\"
\"Heseems，\"saidNiedermeyer，withalaugh，\"tobechieflyoccupiedinsendingflowerstoMadameBlumenthal。Thatis，Iwentwithhimthemorningofhisarrivaltochooseanosegay，andnothingwouldsuithimbutasmallhaystackofwhiteroses。Ihopeitwasreceived。\"
\"Icanassureyouitwas，\"Icried。\"Isawtheladyfairlynestlingherheadinit。ButIadvisethemajornottobuilduponthat。Hehasarival。\"
\"Doyoumeanthesoftyoungmanoftheothernight？\"
\"Pickeringissoft，ifyouwill，buthissoftnessseemstohaveservedhim。Hehasofferedhereverything，andshehasnotyetrefusedit。\"Ihadhandedmyvisitoracigar，andhewaspuffingitinsilence。AtlastheabruptlyaskedifIhadbeenintroducedtoMadameBlumenthal，and，onmyaffirmative，inquiredwhatIthoughtofher。\"Iwillnottellyou，\"Isaid，\"oryou’llcallMEsoft。\"
Heknockedawayhisashes，eyeingmeaskance。\"Ihavenoticedyourfriendabout，\"hesaid，\"andevenifyouhadnottoldme，Ishouldhaveknownhewasinlove。Afterhehaslefthisadored，hisfacewearsfortherestofthedaytheexpressionwithwhichhehasrisenfromherfeet，andmorethanonceIhavefeltliketouchinghiselbow，asyouwouldthatofamanwhohasinadvertentlycomeintoadrawing—roominhisovershoes。Yousayhehasofferedourfriendeverything;but，mydearfellow，hehasnoteverythingtoofferher。
Heevidentlyisasamiableasthemorning，buttheladyhasnotastefordaylight。\"
\"IassureyouPickeringisaveryinterestingfellow，\"Isaid。
\"Ah，thereitis！Hashenotsomestoryorother？Isn’theanorphan，oranaturalchild，orconsumptive，orcontingentheirtogreatestates？Shewillreadhislittlestorytotheend，andclosethebookverytenderlyandsmoothdownthecover;andthen，whenheleastexpectsit，shewilltossitintothedustylimboofherotherromances。Shewilllethimdangle，butshewilllethimdrop！\"
\"Uponmyword，\"Icried，withheat，\"ifshedoes，shewillbeaveryunprincipledlittlecreature！\"
Niedermeyershruggedhisshoulders。\"Ineversaidshewasasaint！\"
ShrewdasIfeltNiedermeyertobe，Iwasnotpreparedtotakehissimplewordforthisevent，andintheeveningIreceivedacommunicationwhichfortifiedmydoubts。ItwasanotefromPickering，anditranasfollows:—
\"MyDearFriend——Ihaveeveryhopeofbeinghappy，butIamtogotoWiesbadentolearnmyfate。MadameBlumenthalgoesthitherthisafternoontospendafewdays，andsheallowsmetoaccompanyher。
Givemeyourgoodwishes;youshallhearoftheresult。E。P。\"
OneofthediversionsofHomburgfornew—comersistodineinrotationatthedifferenttablesd’hote。Itsohappenedthat，acoupleofdayslater，Niedermeyertookpot—luckatmyhotel，andsecuredaseatbesidemyown。AswetookourplacesIfoundaletteronmyplate，and，asitwaspostmarkedWiesbaden，Ilostnotimeinopeningit。Itcontainedbutthreelines——\"Iamhappy——Iamaccepted——anhourago。Icanhardlybelieveit’syourpoorfriendE。P。\"
IplacedthenotebeforeNiedermeyer;notexactlyintriumph，butwiththealacrityofallfelicitousconfutation。Helookedatitmuchlongerthanwasneedfultoreadit，strokingdownhisbeardgravely，andIfeltitwasnotsoeasytoconfuteapupiloftheschoolofMetternich。Atlast，foldingthenoteandhandingitback，\"HasyourfriendmentionedMadameBlumenthal’serrandatWiesbaden？\"
heasked。
\"Youlookverywise。Igiveitup！\"saidI。
\"Sheisgonetheretomakethemajorfollowher。Hewentbythenexttrain。\"
\"Andhasthemajor，onhisside，droppedyoualine？\"
\"Heisnotaletter—writer。\"
\"Well，\"saidI，pocketingmyletter，\"withthisdocumentinmyhandI
amboundtoreservemyjudgment。WewillhaveabottleofJohannisberg，anddrinktothetriumphofvirtue。\"
ForawholeweekmoreIheardnothingfromPickering——somewhattomysurprise，and，asthedayswentby，notalittletomydiscomposure。
Ihadexpectedthathisblisswouldcontinuetooverflowinbriefbulletins，andhissilencewaspossiblyanindicationthatithadbeenclouded。AtlastIwrotetohishotelatWiesbaden，butreceivednoanswer;whereupon，asmynextresource，IrepairedtohisformerlodgingatHomburg，whereIthoughtitpossiblehehadleftpropertywhichhewouldsoonerorlatersendfor。ThereIlearnedthathehadindeedjusttelegraphedfromCologneforhisluggage。ToCologneIimmediatelydespatchedalineofinquiryastohisprosperityandthecauseofhissilence。ThenextdayIreceivedthreewordsinanswer——asimpleuncommentedrequestthatIwouldcometohim。Ilostnotime，andreachedhiminthecourseofafewhours。ItwasdarkwhenIarrived，andthecitywassheetedinacoldautumnalrain。Pickeringhadstumbled，withanindifferencewhichwasitselfasymptomofdistress，onacertainmustyoldMainzerhof，andIfoundhimsittingoverasmoulderingfireinavastdingychamberwhichlookedasifithadgrowngraywithwatchingtheennuioftengenerationsoftravellers。Lookingathim，asheroseonmyentrance，Isawthathewasinextremetribulation。Hewaspaleandhaggard;hisfacewasfiveyearsolder。Now，atleast，inallconscience，hehadtastedofthecupoflife！Iwasanxioustoknowwhathadturneditsosuddenlytobitterness;butIsparedhimallimportunatecuriosity，andlethimtakehistime。Iacceptedtacitlyhistacitconfessionofdistress，andwemadeforawhileafeebleefforttodiscussthepicturesquenessofCologne。Atlastheroseandstoodalongtimelookingintothefire，whileIslowlypacedthelengthoftheduskyroom。
\"Well！\"hesaid，asIcameback;\"Iwantedknowledge，andIcertainlyknowsomethingIdidn’tamonthago。\"Andherewith，calmlyandsuccinctlyenough，asifdismayhadwornitselfout，herelatedthehistoryoftheforegoingdays。Hetouchedlightlyondetails;heevidentlyneverwastogushasfreelyagainashehaddoneduringtheprosperityofhissuit。Hehadbeenacceptedoneevening，asexplicitlyashisimaginationcoulddesire，andhadgoneforthinhisraptureandroamedabouttillnearlymorninginthegardensoftheConversation—house，takingthestarsandtheperfumesofthesummernightintohisconfidence。\"Itisworthitall，almost，\"hesaid，\"tohavebeenwoundupforanhourtothatcelestialpitch。Noman，Iamsure，caneverknowitbutonce。\"ThenextmorninghehadrepairedtoMadameBlumenthal’slodgingandhadbeenmet，tohisamazement，byanakedrefusaltoseehim。Hehadstrodeaboutforacoupleofhours——inanothermood——andthenhadreturnedtothecharge。Theservanthandedhimathree—cornerednote;itcontainedthesewords:\"Leavemealoneto—day;Iwillgiveyoutenminutesto—
morrowevening。\"Ofthenextthirty—sixhourshecouldgivenocoherentaccount，butattheappointedtimeMadameBlumenthalhadreceivedhim。Almostbeforeshespoketherehadcometohimasenseofthedepthofhisfollyinsupposingheknewher。\"Onehasheardallone’sdays，\"hesaid，\"ofpeopleremovingthemask;it’soneofthestockphrasesofromance。Well，thereshestoodwithhermaskinherhand。Herface，\"hewentongravely，afterapause——\"herfacewashorrible！\"……\"Igiveyoutenminutes，\"shehadsaid，pointingtotheclock。\"Makeyourscene，tearyourhair，brandishyourdagger！\"Andshehadsatdownandfoldedherarms。\"It’snotajoke，\"shecried，\"it’sdeadearnest;letushaveitover。Youaredismissed——haveyounothingtosay？\"Hehadstammeredsomefranticdemandforanexplanation;andshehadrisenandcomenearhim，lookingathimfromheadtofeet，verypale，andevidentlymoreexcitedthanshewishedhimtosee。\"Ihavedonewithyou！\"shesaid，withasmile;\"yououghttohavedonewithme！Ithasallbeendelightful，butthereareexcellentreasonswhyitshouldcometoanend。\"\"Youhavebeenplayingapart，then，\"hehadgaspedout;\"younevercaredforme？\"\"Yes;tillIknewyou;tillIsawhowfaryouwouldgo。Butnowthestory’sfinished;wehavereachedthedenoument。Wewillclosethebookandbegoodfriends。\"\"ToseehowfarIwouldgo？\"hehadrepeated。\"Youledmeon，meaningallthewhiletodoTHIS！\"\"Iledyouon，ifyouwill。Ireceivedyourvisits，inseasonandout！Sometimestheywereveryentertaining;