confine that throat; who did not
wear polished kid boots, and was not seen off from the station by twenty
devoted admirers of the opposite sex, was not deluged with bouquets.
With a feeling as of something singing at my heart I went back to my
place, smiling still.

"See! she is quite charmed with the Herr Lieutenant! Is he not
delightful?"

"Oh, very; so is a Dresden china shepherd, but if you let him fall he
breaks."

"_Wie komisch!_ how odd!" was the universal comment upon my
eccentricity. The conversation had wandered off to other military stars,
all of whom were _reizend_, _huebsch_, or _nett_. So it went on until I
got heartily tired of it, and then the ladies discussed their female
neighbors, but I leave that branch of the subject to the intelligent
reader. It was the old tune with the old variations, which were rattled
over in the accustomed manner. I listened, half curious, half appalled,
and thought of various speeches made by Anna Sartorius. Whether she were
amiable or not, she had certainly a keen insight into the hearts and
motives of her fellow-creatures. Perhaps the gift had soured her.

Anna and I walked home alone. Frau Steinmann was, with other elderly
ladies of the company, to spend the evening there. As we walked down the
Koenigsallee--how well to this day do I remember it! the chestnuts were
beginning to fade, the road was dusty, the sun setting gloriously, the
people thronging in crowds--she said suddenly, quietly, and in a tone of
the utmost composure:

"So you don't admire Lieutenant Pieper so much as Herr Courvoisier?"

"What do you mean?" I cried, astonished, alarmed, and wondering what
unlucky chance led her to talk to me of Eugen.

"I mean what I say; and for my part I agree with you--partly.
Courvoisier, bad though he may be, is a man; the other a mixture of doll
and puppy."

She spoke in a friendly tone; discursive, as if inviting confidence and
comment on my part. I was not inclined to give either. I shrunk with
morbid nervousness from owning to any knowledge of Eugen. My pride, nay,
my very self-esteem, bled whenever I thought of him or heard him
mentioned. Above all, I shrunk from the idea of discussing him, or
anything pertaining to him, with Anna Sartorius.

"It will be time for you to agree with me when I give you anything to
agree about," said I, coldly. "I know nothing of either of the
gentlemen, and wish to know nothing."

There was a pause. Looking up, I found Anna's