The girl let fall the hand that held the flowers, and gazed straight
into the eyes of this young preacher of morality, with an expression
that betrayed much more surprise than anger.

"Run after him?" she repeated. "No, Fraeulein, I should never think of
such a thing; that _would_ be stupid. For Black Theresa, where I used
to live, has often told me that men only like a poor girl so long as
they have to run after _her_. And because I didn't feel sure of myself,
and knew that if I lived in the same city with him I could not live
without seeing him and watching for him at the places where he usually
went--so that I should grow hateful to him at last, while now he is at
least kind to me--I came out here into the country and hired myself out
as a waiter-girl in the inn over yonder. But you see for yourself I was
not to get away from him; and now, when he lies at the point of death,
all along of a silly thing like me, and needs my help--no, Fraeulein, I
didn't blame myself at all for having run after him, and I should
consider myself a very bad and heartless girl indeed, if I thought
anything about myself and what people might say. I would follow him
through a forest of wild beasts just to nurse him, and why not into a
house full of good friends of his, none of whom would bite me, just
because all have seen that I don't do it for love of them, but only for
the sake of him who doesn't care the least bit about me. There, now,
don't be angry with me for having told you this right out. I must go
back into the house and see whether Herr Kohle needs any fresh ice from
the cellar. Shall I give him any message from you; tell him that you
called, and hoped he would soon get well?"

Irene had turned away. She felt herself so put to shame by the nature
of this girl, whom she had thought so far beneath her; her own behavior
looked so mean, narrow, and selfish reflected in the mirror of this
absolute, humble, joyful self-sacrifice, and the thought that she must
relinquish to another the place at his sick-bed so cut her to the heart
that she could not restrain her tears, and did not even think of trying
to hide her overflowing eyes from the astonished girl.

"Go back to him and give him a message from me!--and nurse him--and--I
will come again--to-morrow, at this time--no one need know about it
besides yourself. What is your name?"

"Crescenz. But they only call me Red Zenz."

"Good-by, Crescenz--I did you wrong! You are a good girl-