his father. Instead of a heart, I have found in him other qualities
which will render him capable of keeping his heritage in these troubled
times and preserving the Holy Church from further injury. If I were
weaker than I am, and should rear yonder splendid boy, who charmed you
also, Luis, under my own eyes with paternal affection, many an unexpected
joy might grow for me; but I still have an immense amount of work to do,
and therefore lack time to toy with a child. It is my duty to replace
this boy's claims, which I can not recognise, with higher ones, and I
will fulfill it."




CHAPTER XII.

During this conversation the violinist Massi had been to take leave of
Barbara. Pyramus, after a short stay at home, had been obliged to depart
again to an inspection in Lowen, and the musician was sorry not to find
his friend. He did not know to whom the child that had been intrusted to
his care belonged, and, as he had bound himself by a solemn oath to
maintain secrecy toward every one, he did not utter a word to Barbara
about the boy and the obligations which he had undertaken.

The parting was a sad one to the young wife, for in Massi she lost not
only a tried friend, but as it were a portion of her former life. He had
been a witness of the fairest days which Fate had granted her; he had
heard her sing when she had been justified in feeling proud of her art;
and he had been intimate with Wolf Hartschwert, whom she remembered with
affectionate interest, though he had only informed her once in a brief
letter that he was prospering in Villagarcia and his new position. While