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days。〃
〃And that is quite enough；〃 says Charlie； boldly； 〃to let you find out all
you want to know about a girl if she is of the right sort。 If she isn't you
won't find out in three years。 Now look at Franziska； look at the fine；
intelligent face and the honest eyes； you can have no doubt about her； and
then I have all the guarantee of your long acquaintance with her。〃
〃Oh；〃 says Tita； 〃that is all very well。 Franziska is an excellent girl； as
I have told you oftenfrank； kind； well educated； and unselfish。 But you
cannot have fallen in love with her in three days？〃
〃Why not？〃 says this blunt…spoken young man。
〃Because it is ridiculous。 If I meddle in the affair I should probably
find you had given up the fancy in other three days； or if you did marry
her and took her to England you would get to hate me because I alone
should know that you had married the niece of an innkeeper。〃
〃Well； I like that！〃 says he； with a flush in his face。 〃Do you think I
should care two straws whether my friends knew I had married the niece
of an innkeeper？ I should show them Franziska。 Wouldn't that be enough？
An innkeeper's niece！ I wish the world had more of 'em； if they're like
Franziska。〃
〃And besides；〃 says Tita； 〃have you any notion as to how Franziska
herself would probably take this mad proposal？〃
〃No；〃 says the young man； humbly。 〃I wanted you to try and find out
what she thought about me； and if； in time something were said about this
proposal； you might put in a word or two； you know； just toto give her an
idea； you know； that you don't think it quite so mad； don't you know？〃
〃Give me your hand； Charlie；〃 says Tita； with a sudden burst of
kindness。 〃I'll do what I can for you； for I know she's a good girl； and she
will make a good wife to the man who marries her。〃
You will observe that this promise was given by a lady who never； in
any circumstances whatsoever； seeks to make up matches； who never
speculates on possible combinations when she invites young people to her
house in Surrey； and who is profoundly indignant； indeed； when such a
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charge is preferred against her。 Had she not； on that former Christmas
morning； repudiated with scorn the suggestion that Charlie might marry
before another year had passed？ Had she not； in her wild confidence；
staked on a wager that assumption of authority in her household and out of
it without which life would be a burden to her？ Yet no sooner was the
name of Franziska mentioned； and no sooner had she been reminded that
Charlie was going with us to Huferschingen； than the nimble little brain
set to work。 Oftentimes it has occurred to one dispassionate spectator of
her ways that this same Tita resembled the small object which； thrown into
a dish of some liquid chemical substance； suddenly produces a mass of
crystals。 The constituents of those beautiful combinations； you see； were
there； but they wanted some little shock to hasten the slow process of
crystallisation。 Now in our social circle we have continually observed
groups of young people floating about in an amorphous and chaotic
fashiongood for nothing but dawdling through dances； and flirting； and
carelessly separating again； but when you dropped Tita among them； then
you would see how rapidly this jellyfish sort of existence was abolished
how the groups got broken up； and how the sharp； businesslike relations of
marriage were precipitated and made permanent。 But would she own to it？
Never！ She once went and married her dearest friend to a Prussian officer；
and now she declares he was a selfish fellow to carry off the girl in that
way； and rates him soundly because he won't bring her to stay with us
more than three months out of the twelve。 There are some of us get quite
enough of this Prussian occupation of our territory。
〃Well；〃 says Tita to this long English lad； who is lying sprawling on
the grass； 〃I can safely tell you this； that Franziska likes you very well。〃
He suddenly jumps up； and there is a great blush on his face。
〃Has she said so？〃 he asks； eagerly。
〃Oh yes！ in a way。 She thinks you are good…natured。 She likes the
English generally。 She asked me if that ring you wear was an engaged
ring。〃
These disconnected sentences were dropped with a tantalising
slowness into Charlie's eager ears。
〃I must go and tell her directly that it is not；〃 said he； and he might
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probably have gone off at once had not Tita restrained him。
〃You must be a great deal more cautious than that if you wish to carry
off Franziska some day or other。 If you were to ask her to marry you now
she would flatly refuse you； and very properly； for how could a girl
believe you were in earnest？ But if you like； Charlie； I will say something
to her that will give her a hint； and if she cares for you at all before you go
away she won't forget you。 I wish I was as sure of you as I am of her。〃
〃Oh I can answer for myself；〃 says the young man； with a becoming
bashfulness。
Tita was very happy and pleased all that day。 There was an air of
mystery and importance about her。 I knew what it meant； I had seen it
before。
Alas！ poor Charlie！
V 〃GAB MIR EIN' RING DABEI〃
Under the friendly instructions of Dr。 Krumm； whom he no longer
regarded as a possible rival； Charlie became a mighty hunter； and you may
be sure that he returned of an evening with sprigs of fir in his cap for the
bucks he had slain； Franziska was not the last to come forward and shake
hands with him and congratulate him； as is the custom in these primitive
parts。 And then she was quite made one of the family when we sat down to
dinner in the long； low…roofed room； and nearly every evening； indeed；
Tita would have her to dine with us and play cards with us。
You may suppose； if these two young folk had any regard for each
other； those evenings in the inn must have been a pleasant time for them。
There were never two partners at whist who were so courte