get a
Moscheles ETUDE ready by to-morrow afternoon, and need all my wits. But
don't let me hinder you. Walk to Grimma if you want to."

"What do you say? Shall you and I go on?" Louise turned to Maurice; and
the young man did not know whether she spoke in jest or in earnest.

Madeleine knew her better. "Louise!" she said warningly. "Maurice has
work to do to-morrow, too."

"You thought I meant it," said the girl, and laughed so ungovernably
that Madeleine was again driven to remonstrance.

"For goodness' sake, be quiet! We shall have a policeman after us, if
you laugh like that."

Nothing more was said until they stood before the housedoor in the
BRUDERSTRASSE. There Louise, who had lapsed once more into her former
indifference, asked Madeleine to come upstairs with her.

"I will look for the purse again; and then I can give you what I owe
you. Or else I am sure to forget. Oh, it's still early; and the night
is so long. No one can think of sleep yet."

Madeleine was not a night-bird, but she was also not averse to having a
debt paid. Louise looked from her to Maurice. "Will you come, too, Mr.
Guest? It will only take a few minutes," she said, and, seeing his
unhappy face, and remembering what had passed between them, she spoke
more gently than she had yet done.

Maurice felt that he ought to refuse; it was late. But Madeleine
answered for him. "Of course. Come along, Maurice," and he crossed the
threshold behind them.

After lighting a taper, they entered a paved vestibule, and mounted a
flight of broad and very shallow stairs; half-way up, there was a deep
recess for pot-plants, and a wooden seat was attached to the wall. The
house had been a fine one in its day; it was solidly built, had massive
doors with heavy brass fittings, and thick mahogany banisters. On the
first floor were two doors, a large and a small one, side by side.
Louise unlocked the larger, and they stepped into a commodious lobby,
off which several rooms opened. She led the way to the furthest of
these, and entered in front of her companions.

Maurice, hesitating just inside the door, found himself close to a
grand piano, which stood free on all sides, was open, and disorderly
with music. It was a large room, with three windows; and one end of it
was shut off by a high screen, which stretched almost from wall to
wall. A deep sofa stood in an oriel-window; a writing-table was covered
with bric-a-brac, and three tall flower-vases were fille