that she only had betrayed herself, as her wounded conscience
alone had marked a rudeness in the stranger's remarks. Hereupon a new
horror overcame her. What if the wretched stranger should relate to his
brother what he had heard, and in what a silly manner she had behaved
towards him. Again she stamped her foot, but this time through rage
with herself. Her first impulse was to run away and hide. But the young
lady in her overcame the school-girl. She quickly composed herself and
determined on the contrary to set the young stranger right with
becoming dignity, so that the bad impression might be eradicated.

"That will not be possible at once," answered she with freshly gained
composure. "The Magister is just now attending the Catechism class of
the younger pupils. If you will however wait here till it is over, I
will take care that this gate be opened and you can enter here." With a
gracious wave of the hand she intended to dismiss the young man, but as
he nevertheless remained at her side, she continued with polite
coolness: "If you prefer going through the main entrance, the sister
portress must first announce you and ask the Lady Superior if she be
permitted to allow a man within the precincts. It is all nonsense, but
they go on here as if it were still a cloister, although they do not
behave at all like nuns, as you saw for yourself. But wait, it is still
better, if I run round through the main entrance, unlock this gate and
thus save you the trouble of going round."

"I thank you, noble Damsel," said Felix. "Allow me to accompany you as
far as the gate." She hesitated. She felt unwilling to be seen in the
convent-yard together with this stranger, as this would only furnish a
fresh subject of amusement for the aristocratic maidens: "No, no," she
answered, "I prefer pointing out a shady seat by the pond, then keep
your eye on the gate." But the thought entered her pretty little head,
that she was bound to cause the scene, which this unwelcome listener
had come upon, to appear in a thoroughly unprejudicial light, so that
she might not in the end be questioned about it either by her beloved
teacher or the Lady Superior. Gracefully she preceded the young man
along the convent-wall, and his artistic eye watched this delicate
pliant figure, her steady gait, her every movement full of natural
ease. As she saw one of the flowers which had been plucked lying before
her she angrily trod upon it with her little foot. "What ha