and I adore you--Nay," he added
in a lower voice, "I would not harm you for the world. I really had no
bad intentions. If you had not been so stupid as to spoil my sport, and
find me out before it was time, I should have let you go to bed in
peace. I meant to have crept out after I had made sure that you could
not possibly escape me, nor shirk the answers to a question or two I
have to ask. I do assure you, proud Mamsell, I have the greatest regard
for you--quite a respect--and for all my pluck, if I do stand here to
keep you from the door, it is only because--"

He did not see the dangerous light in her eyes; her silence and
apparent impassiveness misled him.

"It would almost appear that I really have been so fortunate, as to hit
upon a humaner mood. If you would but listen to reason, adored Mamsell,
you would find that the varmint, Peter Lars--"

At the same moment he found himself firmly seized by the collar, and
thrust aside with a sudden jerk of a resolute woman's hand.

In the darkness, he fell over a chair, and got his feet entangled among
the bed-curtains; foaming at the mouth with rage and hate, he freed
himself, and rose; but the bolt had been withdrawn, and the girl had
flown.

She flew downstairs, and went straight into her brother-in-law's room,
waked him;--for as he lay on the sofa he seemed to have had the relief
of a short nap;--and told him what had happened. He rose in agitated
anger, took his burning candle, and went upstairs to her room with her.
But the room was empty. The little miscreant had escaped; In the whole
house there was not a trace of him to be found. The Meister called up
old Christel, bid her search carefully in every nook and corner, and on
no account whatever to open the door, if he should come back at a later
hour. Next morning he should be dismissed in form. Then he asked after
Walter, and growled when he heard that he had not yet come home; paced
up and down with angry gesticulation, heavily dragging his lame leg
after him, till at last he limped downstairs again, leaving his light
behind him, without saying one word to Helen, who had been standing
silent in the middle of the room.

As soon as ever she found herself alone again, she bolted herself in,
with trembling hands, and sank upon a chair by her bedside, pressing
her face into her pillows, that she might neither hear nor see a single
object that reminded her of the disgraceful scene she had just gone
through. After a