It is a
nice sort of feeling, when you have nothing else to do, giving way
to endless grief and penitence, and steeping yourself to the eyes in
contrition; but it is silly. Why cry over things that are done? Why do
naughty things at all, if you are going to repent afterward? Nobody is
naughty unless they like being naughty; and nobody ever really repents
unless they are afraid they are going to be found out."

"By 'nobody' of course you mean women, said Irais.

"Naturally; the terms are synonymous. Besides, men generally have the
courage of their opinions."

"I hope you are listening, Miss Minora," said Irais in the amiably
polite tone she assumes whenever she speaks to that young person.

It was getting on towards midnight, and we were sitting round the fire,
waiting for the New Year, and sipping Glubwein, prepared at a small
table by the Man of Wrath. It was hot, and sweet, and rather nasty, but
it is proper to drink it on this one night, so of course we did.

Minora does not like either Irais or myself. We very soon discovered
that, and laugh about it when we are alone together. I can understand
her disliking Irais, but she must be a perverse creature not to like me.
Irais has poked fun at her, and I have been, I hope, very kind; yet we
are bracketed together in her black books. It is also apparent that she
looks upon the Man of Wrath as an interesting example of an ill-used and
misunderstood husband, and she is disposed to take him under her wing,
and defend him on all occasions against us. He never speaks to her; he
is at all times a man of few words, but, as far as Minora is concerned,
he might have no tongue at all, and sits sphinx-like and impenetrable
while she takes us to task about some remark of a profane nature that we
may have addressed to him. One night, some days after her arrival, she
developed a skittishness of manner which has since disappeared, and
tried to be playful with him; but you might as well try to be playful
with a graven image. The wife of one of the servants had just produced a
boy, the first after a series of five daughters, and at dinner we drank
the health of all parties concerned, the Man of Wrath making the
happy father drink a glass off at one gulp, his heels well together in
military fashion. Minora thought the incident typical of German
manners, and not only made notes about it, but joined heartily in the
health-drinking, and afterward grew skittish.

She proposed, first of