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little laugh； the next moment she buried her face in the great
bouquet of roses。 It was time I should go； but I was indisposed to
leave her without obtaining some definite assurance that； as far as
pity was concerned； she pitied the young girl at Smyrna more than the
young man at Homburg。
〃Of course you know what I wished in telling you this；〃 I said；
rising。 〃She is evidently a charming creature； and the best thing he
can do is to marry her。 I wished to interest you in that view of
it。〃
She had taken one of the roses from the vase and was arranging it in
the front of her dress。 Suddenly； looking up； 〃Leave it to me； leave
it to me！〃 she cried。 〃I am interested！〃 And with her little blue…
gemmed hand she tapped her forehead。 〃I am deeply interested！〃
And with this I had to content myself。 But more than once the next
day I repented of my zeal； and wondered whether a providence with a
white rose in her bosom might not turn out a trifle too human。 In
the evening； at the Kursaal； I looked for Pickering； but he was not
visible； and I reflected that my revelation had not as yet； at any
rate； seemed to Madame Blumenthal a reason for prescribing a cooling…
term to his passion。 Very late； as I was turning away； I saw him
arrivewith no small satisfaction； for I had determined to let him
know immediately in what way I had attempted to serve him。 But he
straightway passed his arm through my own and led me off towards the
gardens。 I saw that he was too excited to allow me to speak first。
〃I have burnt my ships！〃 he cried； when we were out of earshot of the
crowd。 〃I have told her everything。 I have insisted that it's
simple torture for me to wait with this idle view of loving her less。
It's well enough for her to ask it； but I feel strong enough now to
override her reluctance。 I have cast off the millstone from round my
neck。 I care for nothing； I know nothing； but that I love her with
every pulse of my beingand that everything else has been a hideous
dream； from which she may wake me into blissful morning with a single
word！〃
I held him off at arm's…length and looked at him gravely。 〃You have
told her； you mean； of your engagement to Miss Vernor？〃
〃The whole story！ I have given it upI have thrown it to the winds。
I have broken utterly with the past。 It may rise in its grave and
give me its curse； but it can't frighten me now。 I have a right to
be happy； I have a right to be free； I have a right not to bury
myself alive。 It was not _I_ who promisedI was not born then。 I
myself； my soul； my mind； my optionall this is but a month old！
Ah；〃 he went on； 〃if you knew the difference it makesthis having
chosen and broken and spoken！ I am twice the man I was yesterday！
Yesterday I was afraid of her； there was a kind of mocking mystery of
knowledge and cleverness about her； which oppressed me in the midst
of my love。 But now I am afraid of nothing but of being too happy！〃
I stood silent； to let him spend his eloquence。 But he paused a
moment； and took off his hat and fanned himself。 〃Let me perfectly
understand；〃 I said at last。 〃You have asked Madame Blumenthal to be
your wife？〃
〃The wife of my intelligent choice！〃
〃And does she consent？〃
〃She asks three days to decide。〃
〃Call it four！ She has known your secret since this morning。 I am
bound to let you know I told her。〃
〃So much the better！〃 cried Pickering； without apparent resentment or
surprise。 〃It's not a brilliant offer for such a woman； and in spite
of what I have at stake； I feel that it would be brutal to press
her。〃
〃What does she say to your breaking your promise？〃 I asked in a
moment。
Pickering was too much in love for false shame。 〃She tells me that
she loves me too much to find courage to condemn me。 She agrees with
me that I have a right to be happy。 I ask no exemption from the
common law。 What I claim is simply freedom to try to be！〃
Of course I was puzzled； it was not in that fashion that I had
expected Madame Blumenthal to make use of my information。 But the
matter now was quite out of my hands； and all I could do was to bid
my companion not work himself into a fever over either fortune。
The next day I had a visit from Niedermeyer； on whom； after our talk
at the opera； I had left a card。 We gossiped a while； and at last he
said suddenly； 〃By the way； I have a sequel to the history of
Clorinda。 The major is at Homburg！〃
〃Indeed！〃 said I。 〃Since when？〃
〃These three days。〃
〃And what is he doing？〃
〃He seems；〃 said Niedermeyer； with a laugh； 〃to be chiefly occupied
in sending flowers to Madame Blumenthal。 That is； I went with him
the morning of his arrival to choose a nosegay； and nothing would
suit him but a small haystack of white roses。 I hope it was
received。〃
〃I can assure you it was；〃 I cried。 〃I saw the lady fairly nestling
her head in it。 But I advise the major not to build upon that。 He
has a rival。〃
〃Do you mean the soft young man of the other night？〃
〃Pickering is soft； if you will； but his softness seems to have
served him。 He has offered her everything； and she has not yet
refused it。〃 I had handed my visitor a cigar； and he was puffing it
in silence。 At last he abruptly asked if I had been introduced to
Madame Blumenthal； and； on my affirmative； inquired what I thought of
her。 〃I will not tell you；〃 I said； 〃or you'll call ME soft。〃
He knocked away his ashes； eyeing me askance。 〃I have noticed your
friend about；〃 he said； 〃and even if you had not told me； I should
have known he was in love。 After he has left his adored； his face
wears for the rest of the day the expression with which he has risen
from her feet； and more than once I have felt like touching his
elbow； as you would that of a man who has inadvertently come into a
drawing…room in his overshoes。 You say he has offered our friend
everything； but； my dear fellow； he has not everything to offer her。
He evidently is as amiable as the morning； but the lady has no taste
for daylight。〃
〃I assure you Pickering is a very interesting fellow；〃 I said。
〃Ah； there it is！ Has he not some story or other？ Isn't he an
orphan； or a natural child； or consumptive； or contingent heir to
great estates？ She will read his little story to the end； and close
the book very tenderly and smooth down the cover； and then； when he
least expects it； she will toss it into the dusty limbo of her other
romances。 She will let him dangle； but she will let him drop！〃
〃Upon my word；〃 I cried； with heat； 〃if she does； she will be a very
unprincipled little creature！〃
Niedermeyer shrugged his shoulders。 〃I never said she was a saint！〃
Shrewd as I felt Niedermeyer to be； I was not prepared to take his
simple word for this event； and in the evening I received a
communication which fortified my doubts。 It was a note from
Pickering； and it ran as follows：…
〃My Dear FriendI have every hope of being happy； but I am to go to
Wiesbaden to learn my fate。 Madame Blumenthal goes thither this
afternoon to spend a few days； and she allows me to accompany her。
Give me your good wishes； you shall hear of the result。 E。 P。〃
One of the diversions of Homburg for new…comers is to dine in
rotation at the different tables d'hote。 It so happened that； a
couple of days later； Niedermeyer took pot…luck at my hotel； and
secured a seat beside my own。 As we took our places I found a letter
on my plate； and； as it was postmarked Wiesbaden； I lost no time in
opening it。 It contained but three lines〃I am happyI am
acceptedan hour ago。 I can hardly believe it's your poor friend
E。 P。〃
I placed the note before Niedermeyer； not exactly in triumph； but
with the alacrity of all felicitous confutation。 He looked at it
much longer than was needful to read it； stroking down his beard
gravely； and I felt it was not so easy to confute a pupil of the
school of Metternich。 At last； folding the note and handing it back；
〃Has your friend mentioned Madame Blumenthal's errand at Wiesbaden？〃
he asked。
〃You look very wise。 I give it up！〃 said I。
〃She is gone there to make the major follow her。 He went by the next
train。〃
〃And has the major； on his side； dropped you a line？〃
〃He is not a letter…writer。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； pocketing my letter； 〃with this document in my hand I
am bound to reserve my judgment。 We will have a bottle of
Johannisberg； and drink to the triumph of virtue。〃
For a whole week more I heard nothing from Pickeringsomewhat to my
surprise； and； as the days went by； not a little to my discomposure。
I had expected that his bliss would continue to overflow in brief
bulletins； and his silence was possibly an indication that it had
been clouded。 At last I wrote to his hotel at Wiesbaden； but
received no answer； whereupon； as my next re