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acted？〃
〃Never in public； but Madame Blumenthal tells me that she had it
played at her own house in Berlin； and that she herself undertook the
part of the heroine。〃
Pickering's unworldly life had not been of a sort to sharpen his
perception of the ridiculous； but it seemed to me an unmistakable
sign of his being under the charm； that this information was very
soberly offered。 He was preoccupied； he was irresponsive to my
experimental observations on vulgar topicsthe hot weather； the inn；
the advent of Adelina Patti。 At last； uttering his thoughts； he
announced that Madame Blumenthal had proved to be an extraordinarily
interesting woman。 He seemed to have quite forgotten our long talk
in the Hartwaldt； and betrayed no sense of this being a confession
that he had taken his plunge and was floating with the current。 He
only remembered that I had spoken slightingly of the lady； and he now
hinted that it behoved me to amend my opinion。 I had received the
day before so strong an impression of a sort of spiritual
fastidiousness in my friend's nature； that on hearing now the
striking of a new hour； as it were； in his consciousness； and
observing how the echoes of the past were immediately quenched in its
music； I said to myself that it had certainly taken a delicate hand
to wind up that fine machine。 No doubt Madame Blumenthal was a
clever woman。 It is a good German custom at Homburg to spend the
hour preceding dinner in listening to the orchestra in the Kurgarten；
Mozart and Beethoven； for organisms in which the interfusion of soul
and sense is peculiarly mysterious； are a vigorous stimulus to the
appetite。 Pickering and I conformed； as we had done the day before；
to the fashion； and when we were seated under the trees； he began to
expatiate on his friend's merits。
〃I don't know whether she is eccentric or not；〃 he said； 〃to me every
one seems eccentric； and it's not for me； yet a while； to measure
people by my narrow precedents。 I never saw a gaming table in my
life before； and supposed that a gambler was of necessity some dusky
villain with an evil eye。 In Germany； says Madame Blumenthal； people
play at roulette as they play at billiards； and her own venerable
mother originally taught her the rules of the game。 It is a
recognised source of subsistence for decent people with small means。
But I confess Madame Blumenthal might do worse things than play at
roulette； and yet make them harmonious and beautiful。 I have never
been in the habit of thinking positive beauty the most excellent
thing in a woman。 I have always said to myself that if my heart were
ever to be captured it would be by a sort of general gracea
sweetness of motion and toneon which one could count for soothing
impressions； as one counts on a musical instrument that is perfectly
in tune。 Madame Blumenthal has itthis grace that soothes and
satisfies； and it seems the more perfect that it keeps order and
harmony in a character really passionately ardent and active。 With
her eager nature and her innumerable accomplishments nothing would be
easier than that she should seem restless and aggressive。 You will
know her； and I leave you to judge whether she does seem so！ She has
every gift； and culture has done everything for each。 What goes on
in her mind I of course can't say； what reaches the observerthe
admireris simply a sort of fragrant emanation of intelligence and
sympathy。〃
〃Madame Blumenthal；〃 I said； smiling； 〃might be the loveliest woman
in the world； and you the object of her choicest favours； and yet
what I should most envy you would be； not your peerless friend； but
your beautiful imagination。〃
〃That's a polite way of calling me a fool；〃 said Pickering。 〃You are
a sceptic； a cynic； a satirist！ I hope I shall be a long time coming
to that。〃
〃You will make the journey fast if you travel by express trains。 But
pray tell me； have you ventured to intimate to Madame Blumenthal your
high opinion of her？〃
〃I don't know what I may have said。 She listens even better than she
talks； and I think it possible I may have made her listen to a great
deal of nonsense。 For after the first few words I exchanged with her
I was conscious of an extraordinary evaporation of all my old
diffidence。 I have； in truth； I suppose；〃 he added in a moment；
〃owing to my peculiar circumstances； a great accumulated fund of
unuttered things of all sorts to get rid of。 Last evening； sitting
there before that charming woman； they came swarming to my lips。
Very likely I poured them all out。 I have a sense of having
enshrouded myself in a sort of mist of talk； and of seeing her lovely
eyes shining through it opposite to me； like fog…lamps at sea。〃 And
here； if I remember rightly； Pickering broke off into an ardent
parenthesis； and declared that Madame Blumenthal's eyes had something
in them that he had never seen in any others。 〃It was a jumble of
crudities and inanities；〃 he went on； 〃they must have seemed to her
great rubbish； but I felt the wiser and the stronger； somehow； for
having fired off all my gunsthey could hurt nobody now if they hit…
…and I imagine I might have gone far without finding another woman in
whom such an exhibition would have provoked so little of mere cold
amusement。〃
〃Madame Blumenthal； on the contrary；〃 I surmised； 〃entered into your
situation with warmth。〃
〃Exactly sothe greatest！ She has felt and suffered； and now she
understands！〃
〃She told you； I imagine； that she understood you as if she had made
you； and she offered to be your guide； philosopher； and friend。〃
〃She spoke to me；〃 Pickering answered； after a pause； 〃as I had never
been spoken to before； and she offered me； formally； all the offices
of a woman's friendship。〃
〃Which you as formally accepted？〃
〃To you the scene sounds absurd； I suppose； but allow me to say I
don't care！〃 Pickering spoke with an air of genial defiance which
was the most inoffensive thing in the world。 〃I was very much moved；
I was； in fact； very much excited。 I tried to say something； but I
couldn't； I had had plenty to say before； but now I stammered and
bungled； and at last I bolted out of the room。〃
〃Meanwhile she had dropped her tragedy into your pocket！〃
〃Not at all。 I had seen it on the table before she came in。
Afterwards she kindly offered to read German aloud with me； for the
accent； two or three times a week。 'What shall we begin with？' she
asked。 'With this！' I said； and held up the book。 And she let me
take it to look it over。〃
I was neither a cynic nor a satirist； but even if I had been； I might
have been disarmed by Pickering's assurance； before we parted； that
Madame Blumenthal wished to know me and expected him to introduce me。
Among the foolish things which； according to his own account； he had
uttered； were some generous words in my praise； to which she had
civilly replied。 I confess I was curious to see her； but I begged
that the introduction should not be immediate； for I wished to let
Pickering work out his destiny alone。 For some days I saw little of
him； though we met at the Kursaal and strolled occasionally in the
park。 I watched； in spite of my desire to let him alone； for the
signs and portents of the world's action upon himof that portion of
the world； in especial； of which Madame Blumenthal had constituted
herself the agent。 He seemed very happy； and gave me in a dozen ways
an impression of increased self…confidence and maturity。 His mind
was admirably active； and always； after a quarter of an hour's talk
with him； I asked myself what experience could really do； that
innocence had not done； to make it bright and fine。 I was struck
with his deep enjoyment of the whole spectacle of foreign lifeits
novelty； its picturesqueness； its light and shadeand with the
infinite freedom with which he felt he could go and come and rove and
linger and observe it all。 It was an expansion； an awakening； a
coming to moral manhood。 Each time I met him he spoke a little less
of Madame Blumenthal； but he let me know generally that he saw her
often； and continued to admire her。 I was forced to admit to myself；
in spite of preconceptions； that if she were really the ruling star
of this happy season； she must be a very superior woman。 Pickering
had the air of an ingenuous young philosopher sitting at the feet of
an austere muse； and not of a sentimental spendthrift dangling about
some supreme incarnation of levity。
CHAPTER II。
Madame Blumenthal seemed； for the time； to have abjured the Kursaal；
and I never caught a glimpse of her。 Her young friend； apparently；
was an interesting study； and the studious mind prefers seclusion。
She reappeared； however； at last； one evening at the opera； where
from my chair I perceived her in a box； looking extremely pretty。
Adelina Patti was singing； and after the rising