she had looked radiant in her gold and gems, like a princess. Now,
crushed and feeble, she presented a pitiable image of powerless yet
offensively hollow splendour. It would have required too much exertion
to assail her son-in-law with invectives, like her energetic mother; but
when she saw her daughter, to whom she had already appealed several times
in a tone of anguished entreaty, rest her proud head so tenderly on her
husband's broad breast, as she had done during the first weeks of their
marriage, but never since, the unhappy woman clearly perceived that the
knight's incredible demand was meant seriously. What she had believed an
idle boast he actually requested. Yonder hated intruder expected her to
part with her only daughter, who was far more to her than her unloved
husband, her exacting mother, or the son who restricted her wishes, whom
she had never understood, and against whom her heart had long been
hardened. But it could not be and, losing all self-control and dignity,
she shrieked aloud, tore the blue headband from her hair and, repeating
the "never" constantly as if she had gone out of her senses, gasped:
"Never, never, never, so long as I live!"

As she spoke she rushed to her startled husband, pointed to her son-in-
law, who still held his wife in a close embrace, and in a half-stifled
voice commanded Herr Casper to strike down the gambler, robber,
spendthrift, and kidnapper of children, or drive him out of the house
like some savage, dangerous beast. Then she ordered Isabella to leave
the profligate who wanted to drag her down to ruin; and when her daughter
refused to obey, she burst into violent weeping, sobbing and moaning
till her strength failed and she was really attacked with one of the
convulsions she had often feigned, by the advice of her own mother,
to extort from her husband the gratification of some extravagant wish.

Indignant, yet full of sincere sympathy, Herr Casper supported his wife,