had desired no gift in return when, to save this contemptible woman's
son and his child, she sacrificed her lover's precious memento; but the
base reward for the kind deed added a burning sense of pain to the other
sorrows which the day had brought. What a shameful crime was ingratitude!
None could be equally hateful to eternal justice, for--she now learned it
by her own experience--ingratitude repaid kindness with evil instead of
with good, and paralyzed the disappointed benefactor's will to perform
another generous deed.

When she entered her sleeping-room the courage which she had summoned
during the walk, and the hope to which she had yielded, appeared to be
scattered and blown away as if by a gust of wind. Besides, she could not
conceal from herself that she had drawn the nails from the planks of her
wrecked ship of life with her own hand.

Did it not seem as if she had intentionally done precisely what she ought
most studiously to have left undone? Her sale of the star had been only
an unfortunate act of weakness, but the dance, the luckless dance! Not
once only, several times Charles had stated plainly enough how unpleasant
it was to him even to hear the amusement mentioned. She had behaved as if
she desired to forfeit his favour.

And why, in Heaven's name, why? To arouse his jealousy?

Fool that she was! This plant took root only in a heart filled with love

And his?

Because she perceived that his love was dying, she had awakened this
fatal passion. Was it not as if she had expected to make a water-lily
blossom in the sands of the desert?

True, still another motive had urged her to this mad act. She knew not
what name to give it, yet it was only too possible that, in spite of her
recent experiences, it might overpower her again on the morrow.

Surprised at herself, she struck her brow with her hand, and when Frau
Lerch, who was just combing her wet hair, perceived it, she sobbed aloud,
exclaiming: "Poor, poor young gentleman, and the Hiltners, who love him
as if he were their own son! Such a terrible misfortune! Old fool that I
am! The first time he asked admittance to show you the tablature, and you
did not want to receive him, I persuaded you to do so. Then he fared like
all the others whose heads you have turned with your singing. Holy
Virgin! If the Hiltners learn that you and I let him be bound without
making any real protest. It will fall heaviest upon me; you can believe
that, for Fran Hiltner