your affection, and when they are
too hard upon her, come to me."

"I surely will, but listen--they are already quarrelling with my good
angel. I will go in, to serve as a lightning-rod for dear Marie. I often
do it, and it pleases me when the lightning strikes, and dashes my hard
old head to the ground, but does not hurt me at all--Farewell, Herr
Moritz, the lightning-rod must go in."

Trude entered suddenly and noiselessly the sitting-room, and interrupted
the angry reproaches which Frau von Werrig hurled against Marie in a
furious stream of words. The countess's rage turned against Trude, who
stared as if to challenge her. "What do you want? How dare you enter
uncalled?"

"I thought you were calling deaf old Trude, or why did you scream so?"
replied Trude, tartly.

"Perhaps it was the general. Ah! there lies the poor, dear old man,
groaning and crying, and nobody has any pity for him."

"Ah! Trude, it is good luck that you are here," whined the general. "No
one troubles himself about me. Quick, bring warm covering for my leg,
the pain is fearful!"

"Poor, dear father, I will take care of you, I will nurse you," said
Marie, hastening to him. Her mother pushed her back violently. "Not a
step farther; you have no right to go near him, you are his murderess.
On your head will fall the guilt, if these dreadful scenes should cause
his death."

"No, no, the general will not die quite yet," said Trude busying herself
about his arm-chair. "But, Fraulein, you have got something else to do
than stay here. They have already sent for the flowers twice, and the
French lady is waiting up-stairs to parlez-vous."

Marie looked her friendly thanks, and quietly and quickly left the room.

"Now, bold woman, I have a last word to say to you. Who locked the door
when that creature came?" "I, madame," answered Trude, who was just
bringing a great cushion from the back-room to cover the general's feet.

"You acknowledge that you locked the door intentionally?"

"Now, my dear, good Frau von Werrig, one does not lock a door by
mistake. I did not want Herr Moritz to run away with fright, before you
had given him your mind, and set his head straight. He would certainly
have escaped, and only heard the half of your beautiful talk, for he had
no idea what a miserable fellow he is. So I locked both doors, and he
was obliged to listen to you, and has gone away contrite and repentant.
There, there, my poor, dear general, is your foot h