, 1889-08-14

It is best for US to obey the warning voice
of our conscience.
"1n former days you ridiculed my
feminine ways, my enthusiasm for
lyrics, poetry and all those little senti-
mentalities of my youthful years. That
grieved me all the more because 1 loved
you ~passionately. But a mite of hope
remained in me, and it was this that
tempted me to write to you and express
my feelings toward you.
"Do you remember the quarrel which
separated us? You smiled at my little
gold lined book of poetry, and when l
asked you what literature you were
reading at the time, you answered
proudly and disdainfully, 'Schopen-
hauer.' l felt as if cold water had been
poured over me. And still / was
tempted, in the last hour that 1 was to
be under the same roof with you, to
write those tender confessions and ques-
tons that were never answered. l stole
ike a thief into the room which your
uncle had set apart for you. do not
call it you room, for at the time 1 shud-
dered at the thought that you were ca
pable Of sleeping beneath those pistols
and ~yatagans which / saw. And there
before me stood the book case, contain
ing all the names which you knew SO
well-Kant, Darwin, Humboldt, Soho
penhauer. I~shuddered again, but l took
S-chopenhauer and placed my eight
pages of love in it. They were never
answered, Hortense. You probably de
spised me all the moro after that. A
year later 1 heard of your engagement
with Herr Won Wittkowsky.
81 am of a quiet disposition, Hortense,
but l could never conquer my love for
you; it will accompany me through my
lifetime.
Farewell, and may you be happy.
You could not love me then Because you
u~ndervalued me; now you overvalue me
because your heart is excited by sorrow.
But, whatever may be the cause, /
love you. and always shall love you.
Your RE1NHARp.n
When Hortense had finished glancing
the letter over, she arose hastil and
called for her maid.
"Quick, my cloak and hoodr'
The girl looked at her with surprise;
she had never seen her mistress SO ex-
cited before.
Not even q look into the mirror, and
the lovely, shining hair was hanging
loose beneath the black lace hood.
She descended the stairs and walked
up the steep street hurriedly, until Josefa
could discern no more of her. Where
was she going so late at night? To the
blonde officer?
A few minutes later Hortense stood
at Reinhard's door, her heart beating
wildly. Another minute and she stood
before him.
He was confused and could not utter
a word, but he did not withdraw his
hands from hers when she seized them.
"Reinhard," she said, her eyes radiant
with wild joy, 1--WE are two foolish chill
dren. We have never lone anything
but quarrel, and still we have always
loved one another SO much. Yes, you
blind man, 1 have not loved you less
than you loved me. / married Herr Won
W~ittkowsky because he wooed me, and
because my relatives persuaded me; be-
cause my heart revolted and despaired;
because 1 hated you for your faithless-
ness. l was not blind. 1 saw only too
well that you courted me, but the love
letters, which 1 expected with so much
certainty, failed to arrive. You did not
care for me any longer"
"But OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
he stammered.
"Your eight pages have probably re-
manned where you placed them"
He looked at her with an expression of
astonishment. "But how is that posi-
ble-how is that possibleT" he said.
THAT is very simple. have never
read Schopenhauer in all my life, nor
Kant, nor Darwin. The bookcase was
he property of my poor cousin, and 1
merely wished to tease you with the
name-wild and foolish school girl that
/ was. Forgive that untruth, Reinhard,
l have done hard penance for it. For
give me. 1 have never undervalued
you; l have always loved you. Many a
time l felt as if 1 must embrace and kiss
you, but because you never made any
advances, because you were 30 bashful
and always talked of verses and books,
that was what melted me to tease you.
l was a wild school girl. Forgive me-"
"And l a foolish boy" he said, placing
his arms around her and drawing her
towards him. "But / will not let you
part from me now, and we will, both of
us, be more sensible in the future. My
sweet wife, l believe 1 came near max
ing another mistake"
"So do L, Reinhard, but fortunately /
am past my school girl days now, and,
if you have no objections, we will pack
our trunks tomorrow or the day after,
and journey to my uncle's place at Sont-
HEINZ"
"To Sontheim?' he asked.
whenever l visit my uncle 1 occupy
that room, and, so far as 1 know, Kant
and companions occupy the old place as
yet"
"And shall we read Schopenhauer to-
gether now?"
Eyes, my love-at least the beautiful
chapter which you inserted"
She smiled and kissed him, and with
drawing herself from him glided away
swiftly with a tender "good night"
He stood there, as in a dream, for a
long time, and he asked himself whether
it was a space of twelve years or of a