every evening either before or after we go out on our drive. A certain
instinctive sentiment causes him to leave the house when you are absent,
and more than all, when I reproached him for his faults, and pointed to
the advantageous match I had in view for him, he had the boldness to say
that he would retain to himself the right of disposing of his own
heart."

"And do you believe, my dear, that you are the first cause of this
trouble?"

"I have felt grieved at the thought that it might be so, nothing
further."

"Well, well, dear Ulgenie, I will release you from this burden on your
conscience."

Mr. Fabian, who always found it a difficult matter to converse long upon
a serious matter, spoke the above words in a tone of voice especially
lively, for his heart was rejoiced at the thought that now he had an
opportunity of ridding himself of an unwelcome guest, without giving
cause for any one to believe that it was his own desire to do so.

"What are you babbling about?" inquired Mistress Ulrica, sharply, "what
do you know about my nephew's affairs?"

"Nothing further than that he has had a little love affair of his own,
which occupies his attention during those solitary walks you referred to
a moment ago."

"He! Gottlieb! Has he dared to fall in love!"