own German fatherland! But now, out with the truth
about this girl who was the cause of the whole scrape. The moment I
heard you were wounded I asked: _Ou est la femme?_ When I learned she
had crossed over with you in the boat, and had been nursing you--No,
don't deny it, you young sinner! The little witch--she is said to have
red hair, too, and red hair always was dangerous to you--ha, ha! Do
you still remember that crazy, mysterious adventure--the one with the
red-haired Englishwoman at the sea-shore?--ha, ha! And now, again--But
what's the matter with you, my dear boy? You turn red and white in a
breath--maybe you've been staying out a little too--"

Felix rose to his feet with evident exertion. His brow was clouded; his
eyes glared strangely at his jovial old friend.

"Uncle," he said, "you have been wrongly informed. However, that makes
no difference. The girl, who is no more to me than that mad fool of a
boatman, has left the house again, and with that it is to be hoped this
whole wretched affair will be at an end. But that you should touch upon
that other matter again, when you know how painful the remembrance of
it is to me--"

"I beg a thousand pardons, my dear boy! It slipped from me, as it were.
You know that, in spite of my fifty-one years, I am the same
incorrigible old _etourdi_; but now I swear by all the gods and
goddesses, never again will I make even the slightest allusion--Why, he
has grown quite pale!--this firebrand of a fellow! Look here, my dear
boy, you ought to take much greater care of yourself, and guard
yourself much more carefully against excitement. I had been meaning to
propose to you to come over and stay with us, for, after all, we have
the best right to nurse you; but since you really are weaker than I
thought, and as certain emotions might perhaps--"

Felix stared at him in blank amazement. Then he burst out in a forced
laugh.

"You are joking, uncle. Or perhaps, after all, you are speaking with
more design than you would have me believe. I go and live--with you!
You are very kind; but really, well as I know that all is over, still I
should hardly like to guarantee that certain emotions might not--"

He broke off, and passed his hand over his forehead.

"You are right, my boy," replied the uncle, seriously. "It is still a
little too soon. Still, sooner or later this whole absurd, lagging
affair must be set right, and the sooner, the better, in my opinion.
Just think it over. T