Part 21 (1/2)

'Delightful originality,' murmured Mrs Harvey-Browne

'Madam, you flatter me,' said the Professor, whose ears were quick

'Oh no Professor, indeed, it is not flattery'

'Mada wished we couldto do so----'

'Waste of time, waste of time, madam'

'--and all in vain And this year ere both there before co up here and did all we could, but also unfortunately in vain It really seems as if Providence had expressly led us to this place to-day'

'Providence,people to places, and then leading theain froreat rapidity, for I ahtfall Here there is nothing to be had'

'Oh you must come back to Binz with us,' cried Mrs Harvey-Browne 'The steamer leaves in an hour, and I am sure rooive you his, if necessary; he would feel only too proud if you would take it, would you not, Brosy?'

'Madam, I am overwhelmed by your amiability You will, however, understand that I cannot leave o she co to hear her plans to arrange ht attire is on my person, beneath the attire appropriate to the day In one pocket of my mantle I carry an extra pair of socks In another e, damp and cool, is embedded in the crown of my hat Thus, madam, I am of a remarkable independence Its one restriction is the necessity of finding a shelter daily before dark Tell me, little Lot, is there no roo so sweet in his smile as he turned to her that I think if she had seen it she must have followed hio to Berlin this evening,' she said

'I have iements, and must leave at once'

'My dear Frau Nieberlein,' exclaimed the bishop's wife, 'is not this very sudden?'

Brosy, who had been looking uncoot his mouse, pulled out his watch and stood up 'If we are to catch that steamer, mother, I think it would be wise to start,'

he said

'Nonsense, Brosy, it doesn't go for an hour,' said Mrs Harvey-Browne, revolted at the notion of being torn fro him

'I aet down the cliff than one would suppose And it is slippery--I want to take you down an easier and rather longer way'

And he carried her off, ruthlessly cutting short her parting entreaties that the Professor would come too, come to-morrow, then, come without fail the next day, then, to Binz; and he took her, as I observed, straight in the direction of the Hertha See as a beginning of the easy descent, and the Hertha See, as everybody knows, is in the exactly contrary direction to the one he ought to have gone; but no doubt he filled up the hour instructively with stories of the ancient heathen rites performed on those mystic shores, and so left Charlotte free to behave to her husband as she chose

How she did behave I can easily guess, for hurrying off into the pavilion, desirous of nothing except to get out of the way, I had hardly had time to marvel that she should be able to dislike such an old dear, when she burst in 'Quick, quick--helpup and down the slit of a roos stoay by Gertrud in corners 'I can just catch the night train at Sassnitz--I'm off to Berlin--I'll write to you fro out! What a terrible fate yours is, always at the s without being asked Give ed down into the depths to-day, haven't you?' And she straightened herself fro at an to cry

'Don't cry, Charlotte,' I said, who had been du, 'don't cry, s Don't go to Berlin--stay here and let us be happy together'

'Stay here? Never!' And she feverishly cra s, for she cried bitterly the whole time

Well, women have always been a source of wonderment to me, myself included, who am for ever hurled in the direction of foolishness, for ever unable to stop; and never are they so mysterious, so wholly unaccountable, as in their relations to their husbands But who shall judge them? The paths of fate are all so narrow that two people bound together, forced to walk abreast, cannot, except they keep perfect step, but push each other against the rocks on either side So that it behoves the weaker and the lighter, if he would remain unbruised, to be very attentive, very adaptable, very deft

I saw Charlotte off in one of the waiting waggonettes that was to take her to Sassnitz where the railway begins 'I'll let you knohere I am,' she called out as she was rattled away down the hill; and with a wave of the hand she turned the corner and vanished froions where noble and forlorn persons pursue ideals

Walking back slowly through the trees towards the cliffs Ieverywhere for his wife 'What time does Lot leave?'