annoyance. The bridge was so narrow that he had no difficulty, thanks to
the length of his arms, in placing a hand on each rail, so that, as he
bent his broad, smiling face forward between them, he effectively barred
the way. With a tone which he intended to be winning and tender, but
which nature had not allowed him to modulate very sweetly, he said:

"Divine songstress of Freyer Brothers' Brewery Harmonista Cellars!" She
stopped quickly and faced half round, so as to be in a better position
for retreat if he made an advance toward her. "In the hall on
Thursday--when you made the circuit with the cup for the collection
after your delightful ballad--you refused me even a reply to my request
for an interview. That was for the favor of a salute from those
somewhat thin but honeyed lips! Now, there is nobody by and I mean to be
rewarded for the bouquets I have nightly sent you!"

"Father!" cried the Jewess, too frightened by the position of her
assailant to flee.

"Your father? Bah!" with a contemptuous glance at the old man
approaching only too slowly. "I repeat, there is no one by! _That_ I
arranged for."

The speaker had red curly hair like his whiskers; his brow was not
narrow but his eyebrows overhung; his face was flushed with animation
and carnal desire--perhaps by potations, though his large lower jaw
denoted ample animal courage. He was powerful enough in the long arms
and strong hands to have mastered the girl and her father, but it was
not the dread of his prowess physically which awed the daughter of the
race still proscribed in this part of Germany.