atues, Felix rubbed his brows. "As a fact I remember that I myself
fell once asleep up here. If I relate to you what I heard in my dreams,
you must also tell me what you overheard."

"Perhaps," said Klytia, "let me only hear your story."

"I had been thinking of a fair-haired angel, who dwelt higher than many
planets, and soon began to nod." "The angel thanks you," interrupted
Klytia pertly. "After a while I suddenly heard, Faith, Hope, and
Charity saying close to me: 'We alone are related, in this mixed
society, and will have nothing to do with the Heathen world on either
side of us.' Then Justice yawned so loud that it could be heard all
over the Court and sighed saying: 'How lonely I feel here in the
corner near to these dreary virtues. What has Justice in common with
self-righteousness? Now if I were only over there next to Strength, I
could at least carefully watch to see, that it did not break more
columns than were necessary as schoolboy proofs of his juvenile
strength.' Hercules next wanted to enter into conversation with
Sampson. 'Sir Brother,' said he with a rap of his club, 'it was better
fun for us when we were chasing lions, not to mention the honey.' But
wasn't he snubbed, 'I am no brother of yours,' answered the proud
Jewish hero, 'you are one of the Philistines whom I thrashed, and I
will have nothing to do with you.' Next I heard Jupiter sneeze. I
looked upwards to see whether the Greek father of the Gods was about to
enter into conversation with the Egyptian Serapis? But they both looked
different ways and did not deign to exchange a friendly word. Once
indeed Zeus cast a look down at Mars and Venus and then sighed:
'Gracious Heavens, how thin they have become.' Is it not true that you
meant something of this sort when you said that Colins' figures could
not endure one another? You have indeed a quick hearing, bellezza, and
a poetical mind."

"Now," replied Lydia, curling up her nose, "do you suppose that when we
sit at work all day we think of nothing but the cross-stitch. But it
was ever clear to me, even as a child, that a totally different harmony
and unison of mind was expressed in the two angels' heads on the
Ruprechtsbau, than by any of the figures exhibited here by Master
Colins, some of which he took from the cloister-school at Malines, the
others from Italy, where you still remain semi-heathens."

"You are right, Signora, but in my home we are accustomed to this
mixture."

"Your head is