e Hospital, as was presently testified to us by a
board bearing the inscription, "Staedtische Augenklinik."

We were taken to a dimly lighted room in which many people were waiting,
some with bandages over their eyes, others with all kinds of
extraordinary spectacles on, which made them look like phantoms out of a
bad dream--nearly all more or less blind, and the effect was
surprisingly depressing.

Presently Miss Hallam and Merrick were admitted to an inner room, and I
was left to await their return. My eye strayed over the different faces,
and I felt a sensation of relief when I saw some one come in without
either bandage or spectacles. The new-comer was a young man of middle
height, and of proportions slight without being thin. There was nothing
the matter with his eyes, unless perhaps a slight short-sightedness; he
had, I thought, one of the gentlest, most attractive faces I had ever
seen; boyishly open and innocent at the first glance; at the second,
indued with a certain reticent calm and intellectual radiance which took
away from the first youthfulness of his appearance. Soft, yet luminous
brown eyes, loose brown hair hanging round his face, a certain manner
which for me at least had a charm, were the characteristics of this
young man. He carried a violin-case, removed his hat as he came in, and
being seen by one of the young men who sat at desks, took names down,
and attended to people in general, was called by him:

"Herr Helfen--Herr Friedhelm Helfen!"

"_Ja--hier!_" he answered, going up to the desk, upon which there ensued
a lively conversation, though carried on in a low tone, after which the
young man at the desk presented a white card to "Herr Friedhelm Helfen,"
and the latter, with a pleasant "Adieu," went out of the room again.

Miss Hallam and Merrick presently returned from the consulting-room, and
we went out of the dark room into the street, which was filled with
spring sunshine and warmth; a contrast something like that between Miss
Hallam's life and my own, I have thought since. Far before us, hurrying
on, I saw the young man with the violin-case; he turned off by the
theater, and went in at a side door.

An hour's wandering in the Hofgarten--my first view of the Rhine--a
dull, flat stream it looked, too. I have seen it since then in mightier
flow. Then we came home, and it was decided that we should dine together
with the rest of the company at one o'clock.

A bell rang at a few minutes pa