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I stood silent； to let him spend his eloquence。 But he paused a
moment； and took off his hat and fanned himself。 〃Let me perfectly
understand；〃 I said at last。 〃You have asked Madame Blumenthal to be
your wife？〃
〃The wife of my intelligent choice！〃
〃And does she consent？〃
〃She asks three days to decide。〃
〃Call it four！ She has known your secret since this morning。 I am
bound to let you know I told her。〃
〃So much the better！〃 cried Pickering； without apparent resentment or
surprise。 〃It's not a brilliant offer for such a woman； and in spite
of what I have at stake； I feel that it would be brutal to press
her。〃
〃What does she say to your breaking your promise？〃 I asked in a
moment。
Pickering was too much in love for false shame。 〃She tells me that
she loves me too much to find courage to condemn me。 She agrees with
me that I have a right to be happy。 I ask no exemption from the
common law。 What I claim is simply freedom to try to be！〃
Of course I was puzzled； it was not in that fashion that I had
expected Madame Blumenthal to make use of my information。 But the
matter now was quite out of my hands； and all I could do was to bid
my companion not work himself into a fever over either fortune。
The next day I had a visit from Niedermeyer； on whom； after our talk
at the opera； I had left a card。 We gossiped a while； and at last he
said suddenly； 〃By the way； I have a sequel to the history of
Clorinda。 The major is at Homburg！〃
〃Indeed！〃 said I。 〃Since when？〃
〃These three days。〃
〃And what is he doing？〃
〃He seems；〃 said Niedermeyer； with a laugh； 〃to be chiefly occupied
in sending flowers to Madame Blumenthal。 That is； I went with him
the morning of his arrival to choose a nosegay； and nothing would
suit him but a small haystack of white roses。 I hope it was
received。〃
〃I can assure you it was；〃 I cried。 〃I saw the lady fairly nestling
her head in it。 But I advise the major not to build upon that。 He
has a rival。〃
〃Do you mean the soft young man of the other night？〃
〃Pickering is soft； if you will； but his softness seems to have
served him。 He has offered her everything； and she has not yet
refused it。〃 I had handed my visitor a cigar； and he was puffing it
in silence。 At last he abruptly asked if I had been introduced to
Madame Blumenthal； and； on my affirmative； inquired what I thought of
her。 〃I will not tell you；〃 I said； 〃or you'll call ME soft。〃
He knocked away his ashes； eyeing me askance。 〃I have noticed your
friend about；〃 he said； 〃and even if you had not told me； I should
have known he was in love。 After he has left his adored； his face
wears for the rest of the day the expression with which he has risen
from her feet； and more than once I have felt like touching his
elbow； as you would that of a man who has inadvertently come into a
drawing…room in his overshoes。 You say he has offered our friend
everything； but； my dear fellow； he has not everything to offer her。
He evidently is as amiable as the morning； but the lady has no taste
for daylight。〃
〃I assure you Pickering is a very interesting fellow；〃 I said。
〃Ah； there it is！ Has he not some story or other？ Isn't he an
orphan； or a natural child； or consumptive； or contingent heir to
great estates？ She will read his little story to the end； and close
the book very tenderly and smooth down the cover； and then； when he
least expects it； she will toss it into the dusty limbo of her other
romances。 She will let him dangle； but she will let him drop！〃
〃Upon my word；〃 I cried； with heat； 〃if she does； she will be a very
unprincipled little creature！〃
Niedermeyer shrugged his shoulders。 〃I never said she was a saint！〃
Shrewd as I felt Niedermeyer to be； I was not prepared to take his
simple word for this event； and in the evening I received a
communication which fortified my doubts。 It was a note from
Pickering； and it ran as follows：…
〃My Dear FriendI have every hope of being happy； but I am to go to
Wiesbaden to learn my fate。 Madame Blumenthal goes thither this
afternoon to spend a few days； and she allows me to accompany her。
Give me your good wishes； you shall hear of the result。 E。 P。〃
One of the diversions of Homburg for new…comers is to dine in
rotation at the different tables d'hote。 It so happened that； a
couple of days later； Niedermeyer took pot…luck at my hotel； and
secured a seat beside my own。 As we took our places I found a letter
on my plate； and； as it was postmarked Wiesbaden； I lost no time in
opening it。 It contained but three lines〃I am happyI am
acceptedan hour ago。 I can hardly believe it's your poor friend
E。 P。〃
I placed the note before Niedermeyer； not exactly in triumph； but
with the alacrity of all felicitous confutation。 He looked at it
much longer than was needful to read it； stroking down his beard
gravely； and I felt it was not so easy to confute a pupil of the
school of Metternich。 At last； folding the note and handing it back；
〃Has your friend mentioned Madame Blumenthal's errand at Wiesbaden？〃
he asked。
〃You look very wise。 I give it up！〃 said I。
〃She is gone there to make the major follow her。 He went by the next
train。〃
〃And has the major； on his side； dropped you a line？〃
〃He is not a letter…writer。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； pocketing my letter； 〃with this document in my hand I
am bound to reserve my judgment。 We will have a bottle of
Johannisberg； and drink to the triumph of virtue。〃
For a whole week more I heard nothing from Pickeringsomewhat to my
surprise； and； as the days went by； not a little to my discomposure。
I had expected that his bliss would continue to overflow in brief
bulletins； and his silence was possibly an indication that it had
been clouded。 At last I wrote to his hotel at Wiesbaden； but
received no answer； whereupon； as my next resource； I repaired to his
former lodging at Homburg； where I thought it possible he had left
property which he would sooner or later send for。 There I learned
that he had indeed just telegraphed from Cologne for his luggage。 To
Cologne I immediately despatched a line of inquiry as to his
prosperity and the cause of his silence。 The next day I received
three words in answera simple uncommented request that I would come
to him。 I lost no time； and reached him in the course of a few
hours。 It was dark when I arrived； and the city was sheeted in a
cold autumnal rain。 Pickering had stumbled； with an indifference
which was itself a symptom of distress； on a certain musty old
Mainzerhof； and I found him sitting over a smouldering fire in a vast
dingy chamber which looked as if it had grown gray with watching the
ennui of ten generations of travellers。 Looking at him； as he rose
on my entrance； I saw that he was in extreme tribulation。 He was
pale and haggard； his face was five yea