of their son, the only child that a gracious Providence
has left to be their joy and comfort? No, no, never! Far be it from me!
You, Orion, my heart's darling, you have been a wilful fellow all your
life, but you cannot have such a perverse heart as to bring your old
mother, who has kept you in her heart these four and twenty years, in
sorrow to the grave and embitter your father's few remaining days--for
his hours are numbered!--And all for the sake of this cold beauty, whom
you have seen for a few hours these last two days. You cannot have
the heart to do this, my heart's treasure, no, you cannot!--But if
you should in some accursed hour, I tell you--and I have been a tender
mother to you all your life-but as surely as God shall be my stay and
your father's in our last hour, I will tear all love for you out of my
heart like a poisonous weed--I will, though that heart should break!"

Orion put his arms round the excited woman, who lead freed herself from
his embrace, laid his hand lightly on her lips and kissed her eyes,
whispering in her ear:

"I have not the heart indeed, and could scarcely find it." Then, taking
both her hands, he looked straight into her face.

"Brrr!" he exclaimed, "your daredevil son was never so much frightened
in his life as by your threats. What dreadful words are these--and even
worse were at the tip of your tongue! Mother--Mother Neforis! Your name
means kindness, but you can be cruel, bitterly cruel!"

Still he drew her fondly to him, and kissed her hair and brow and cheeks
with eager haste, in a vehemence of feeling which came over him like a
revulsion after the shock he had gone through; and when they parted
he had given her leave to negotiate for little Katharina's hand on his
behalf, and she had promised in return that it should be not on the
morrow but the day after at soonest. This delay seemed to him a sort
of victory and when he found himself alone and reflected on what he had
done in yielding to his mother, though his heart bled from the wounds of
which he himself knew not the depth, he rejoiced that he had not bound
Paula by any closer tie. His eyes had indeed told her much, but the word
"Love" had not passed his lips--and yet that was what it came to.--But
surely a cousin might be allowed to kiss the hand of a lovely relation.
She was a desirable woman--ah, how desirable!--and must ever be: but
to quarrel with his parents for the sake of a girl, were she Aphrodite
herself, or