Or his, that day?
Methinks both hearts
Did meet half-way.

The chambermaid announced Walpurga. Irma stopped in the middle of her
song.

"Welcome! What good thought brings you here?"

Walpurga hesitated, but, at last, preferred her request and handed the
paper to the countess.

"Take courage," said Irma, consolingly.

She rang for a servant, to whom she said: "Tell my brother to come here
at once." Then, addressing Walpurga, she continued: "I'll add a few
words of my own. Be calm. I am glad to be able to grant your request.
I've often wanted to ask you whether there was not some wish that you
would like to have gratified. The king will surely grant the pardon."

Walpurga would have liked to interrupt her, but everything seemed as if
bewitched. Before she could say a word, the aid-de-camp
had come. Irma
begged him to wait while she added a few lines of her own.

The aid-de-camp
had taken his leave. Irma passed her hand over
Walpurga's face and said: "Let me banish all your sad thoughts. Be
happy and take my word for it--the man is saved. Go to the poor woman
and quiet her in the mean while. I'll bring the answer to your room."

Walpurga could not find words, or she would have said something, even
then. But the petition had already gone. After all no one would be
harmed in the matter, and, although Thomas really was a wicked fellow,
this might make a better man of him. Walpurga left Irma's apartment.
Stopping at the door, for an instant, to recover herself, she heard
Irma singing again. When she reached her room, she was in a calmer
state and said to Zenza:

"Your Thomas will get off; depend upon it. But you must give me your
word, and promise to keep it, too, that Thomas will become an honest
man, and that you won't help him sell his stolen wares and hide his
evil ways. You needn't look at me so, for I've a right to talk to you
this way. I've risked a great deal for you."

"Yes, indeed; you've a right to say it," replied Zenza, in a
half-earnest, half-jesting tone. "You make our whole neighborhood
happy. We're all proud of you. On Sunday, before the church, I'll tell
them what influence you have here, and they'll all believe me. Your
mother was my playfellow, and if my Thomas had got an honest woman like
you for his wife, he'd been thrifty, too. He must get himself a good
wife. I'll give him no peace till he does."

Zenza was enjoyi