Now he heard an inner door open, and this again aroused the anxiety
he had just conquered. Suppose that he should find Wawerl below?
Ardently as he yearned for her to whom all the love of his heart
belonged, this meeting would have come too quickly. Yet she might very
easily happen to be in the lower story, for the lighted window beside the
door belonged to the little house chapel, and since her confirmation she
had undertaken to sweep it, clean the candlesticks and lamps, and keep
them in order, fill the vases on the little altar with blossoms, and
adorn the image of the Madonna with flowers on Lady day and other
festivals.

How often he had helped the child and heard her father call her "his
little sacrist"!

The chapel here had gained greater importance to him when the Blombergs
placed above the altar the Madonna and Child which he, who tried all the
arts, had copied with his own hand from an ancient painting. This had
been in July; but when, on the Virgin's Assumption day in August, Barbara
was twining a beautiful garland of summer flowers around it, and he, with
an overflowing heart, was helping her, his head accidentally struck
against hers, and to comfort her he compassionately kissed the bruised
spot. Only a short time ago she had frankly thrown her arms around his
neck if she wanted him to gratify a wish or forgive an offence without
ever receiving a response to her affection. This time he had been the
aggressor, and received an angry rebuff; during the little scuffle which
now followed, Wolf's heart suddenly grew hot, and his kiss fell upon her
scarlet lips. The first was followed by several others, until steps on
the stairs parted the young lover from the girl, who offered but a feeble
resistance.