attracted his attention was Cristel.

He bowed, smiled, possessed himself abruptly of her hand, and kissed it.
She tried to withdraw it from his grasp, and met with an obstinate
resistance. His gallantry addressed her in sweet words; and his voice
destroyed their charm by the dreary monotony of the tone in which he
spoke. "On this lovely day, Cristel, Nature pleads for me. Your heart
feels the sunshine and softens towards the poor deaf man who worships
you. Ah, my dear, it's useless to say No. My affliction is my happiness,
when you say cruel things to me. I live in my fool's paradise; I don't
hear you." He tried to draw her nearer to him. "Come, my angel; let me
kiss you."

She made a second attempt to release herself; and this time, she wrenched
her hand out of his grasp with a strength for which he was not prepared.

That fiercest anger which turns the face pale, was the anger that had
possession of Cristel as she took refuge with her father. "You asked me
to bear with that man," she said, "because he paid you a good rent. I
tell you this, father; my patience is coming to an end. Either he must
go, or I must go. Make up your mind to choose between your money and me."

Old Toller astonished me. He seemed to have caught the infection of his
daughter's anger. Placed between Cristel and his money, he really acted
as if he preferred Cristel. He hobbled up to his lodger, and shook his
infirm fists, and screamed at the highest pitch of his old cracked voice:
"Let her be, or I won't have you here no longer! You deaf adder, let her
be!"

The sensitive nerves of the deaf man shrank as those shrill tones pierced