er from such insolence.
Protect her first, then, from yourself.'

'Ay,' quoth Mr. Gottesheim, who had been looking on with his hands behind
his tall old back, 'ay, that's Scripture truth.'

Fritz was staggered, not only by the Prince's imperturbable superiority
of manner, but by a glimmering consciousness that he himself was in the
wrong. The appeal to liberal doctrines had, besides, unmanned him.

'Well,' said he, 'if I was rude, I'll own to it. I meant no ill, and did
nothing out of my just rights; but I am above all these old vulgar
notions too; and if I spoke sharp, I'll ask her pardon.'

'Freely granted, Fritz,' said Ottilia.

'But all this doesn't answer me,' cried Fritz. 'I ask what you two spoke
about. She says she promised not to tell; well, then, I mean to know.
Civility is civility, but I'll be no man's gull. I have a right to
common justice, if I _do_ keep company!'

'If you will ask Mr. Gottesheim,' replied Otto, 'you will find I have not
spent my hours in idleness. I have, since I arose this morning, agreed
to buy the farm. So far I will go to satisfy a curiosity which I
condemn.'

'O, well, if there was business, that's another matter,' returned Fritz.
'Though it beats me why you could not tell. But, of course, if the
gentleman is to buy the farm, I suppose there would naturally be an end.'

'To be sure,' said Mr. Gottesheim, with a strong accent of conviction.

But Ottilia was much braver. 'There now!' she cried in triumph. 'What
did I tell you? I told you I was fighting your battles. Now you see!
Think shame of your suspicious temper! You should go down upon your
bended knees both to that gentleman and me.'

CHAPTER IV--IN WHICH THE PRINCE COLLECTS OPINIONS BY THE WAY

A little before noon Otto, by a triumph of manoeuvring, effected his
escape. He was quit in this way of the ponderous gratitude of Mr.
Killian, and of the confidential gratitude of poor Ottilia; but of Fritz
he was not quit so readily. That young politician, brimming with
mysterious glances, offered to lend his convoy as far as to the
high-road; and Otto, in fear of some residuary jealousy and for the
girl's sake, had not the courage to gainsay him; but he regarded his
companion with uneasy glances, and devoutly wished the business at an
end. For some time Fritz walked by the mare in silence; and they had
already traversed more than half the proposed distance when, with
something of a blush, he looked up