it sounds in my ears like something that has been
hashed over a thousand times. My wife must consider herself quite above
a reasonably melodious dilettantism."

Tears rushed to Dorothea's eyes. Again she was unable to grasp the
meaning of it all. She even imagined that Daniel was making a conscious
effort to be cruel to her.

For her violin playing had been a means of pleasing--pleasing herself,
the world. It had been a means of rising in the world, of compelling
admiration in others and blinding others. This was the only
consideration that made her submit to the stern discipline her father
imposed upon her. She possessed ambition, but she sold herself to praise
without regard for the praiser. And whatever an agreement of unknown
origin demanded in the way of feeling, she fancied she could satisfy it
by keeping her mind on her own wishes, pleasures, and delights while
playing.

Daniel put his arms around her and kissed her. She broke away from him
in petulance, and went over to the window. "You might have told me that
I do not play well enough for you," she exclaimed angrily and sobbed;
"there was no need for you to break my bow. I never play. It never
occurred to me to bother you by playing." She wept like a spoiled child.

It cost Daniel a good deal of persuasion to pacify her. Finally he saw
that there was no use to talk to her; he sighed and said nothing more.
After a while he took her pocket handkerchief, and dried the tears from
her eyes, laughing as he did so. "What was really in my mind was that
party at Frau Feistelmann's. I did not want you to go. For I do not put
much faith in that kind of entertainment. They do not enrich you, though
they do incite all kinds of desires. But because I have treated you
harshly, you may go. Possibly it will make you forget your troubles, you
little fool."

"Oh, I thank you for your offer; but I don't want to go," replied
Dorothea snappishly, and left the room.

IV

Yet Dorothea said the next day at the dinner table that she was going to
accept the invitation. It would be much easier just to go and have it
over with, she remarked, than to stay away and explain her absence. She
said this in a way that would lead you to believe that it had cost her
much effort to come to her decision.

"Certainly, go!" said Daniel. "I have already advised you to do it
myself."

She had had a dark blue velvet dress made, and she wanted to wear it for