inquired of Forrester as to the nature of the terrible
retribution he intended to exact; but there Forrester could give us no
information. Mephistophiles was impenetrable on that subject; and all
that could be exacted from him was, that he would have a reckoning with
us at his own time, and in his own way. Forrester, who knew his nature
well, inferred from the vehemence of his expression that this reckoning
would be carried out in a spirit of calm, demoniacal revenge, against
which it would be impossible to set up any safeguards; and that, if we
could not, by a legal separation, place Astraea under the protection of
the laws, the only course that remained, as a measure of security, was
to leave the kingdom. It was, in fact, to warn us of our danger, and to
give us this friendly advice, that he had sought us out.

Astraea agreed with Forrester in his view of the dwarf's character, and
was equally persuaded that whatever plan of vengeance he adopted, would
be marked by subtlety and perseverance. But she was by no means disposed
to fly from the danger. On the contrary, she thought it advisable to
confront it, and ascertain the worst at once. What had we to fear?
Personal violence was out of the question. He would never bring his own
life into jeopardy by attempting ours. She believed he was quite capable
of the most dastardly and treacherous crime; but she thought he was too
cunning, cautious, and selfish, to contemplate a mode of revenge which
could not be accomplished without risk to himself. In any case, however,
she was clearly convinced that the best plan was to go boldly upon him
at once. It was like taking the sting out of a nettle, by grasping it
suddenly. She thought he would shrink from publicity; and that if we
refused to give him a struggle in the dark, we should effectually baffle
him.

There was much reason in this argument. Men like our dwarf always avoid
direct collisions when they can. They fight at a disadvantage unless
they are permitted to use their own weapons and their own tactics. On
the other hand, there was a serious objection to this mode of
proceeding. In her passionate aversion to the dwarf, and her eagerness
to publish her defiance and contempt of him, Astraea had overlooked the
peculiarities of our situation, unconscious of the way in which the
world would be likely to regard an open demonstration such as she
recommended. She had not yet acquired the full flavor of that obloquy
which waits u