and fade!" Then, turning to Katharina, she went on: with kindly reproof.
"Evil tongues gave me a very false idea of this girl. 'A silver kernel
in a golden shell,' says the proverb, but in this case both alike are of
gold.--Between you two--good God!--But I know what has blinded your clear
eyes, poor little kitten. After all, we all see things as we wish to see
them. I would lay a wager, dame Joanna, that you are of my opinion in
thinking the fair Paula a perfectly noble creature. Aye, a noble
creature; it is an expressive word and God knows! How seldom is it a
true one? It is one I am little apt to use, but I know no other for such
as she is, and on her it is not ill-bestowed."

"Indeed it is not!" answered Joanna with warm assent; but Martina
sighed, for she was thinking to herself! "Poor Heliodora! I cannot but
confess that Paula is the only match for my 'great Sesostris.' But what
in Heaven's name will become of that poor, unfortunate, love-sick little
woman?"

All this flashed through her quick brain while Katharina was trying to
justify herself, and asserting that she fully recognised Paula's great
qualities, but that she was proud, fearfully proud--she had given Martina
herself some evidence of that.

At this Pulcheria interposed in zealous defense of her friend. She,
however, had hardly begun to speak when she, too, was interrupted, for
men's voices were heard in loud discussion in the vestibule, and Perpetua
suddenly rushed in with a terrified face, exclaiming, heedless of the
strangers: "Oh Dame Joanna! Here is another, dreadful misfortune!
Those Arab devils have come again, with an interpreter and a writer. And
they have been sent--Merciful Saviour, is it possible?--they have brought
a warrant to take away my poor dear child, to take her to prison--to drag