"It was no sin. I am sinful, I know,--very; no one perhaps more so. But there was no sin there. Could I help his coming? Aunt Charlotte, if you do not believe me about this, it is better that we should never speak to each again. If so, we must live apart." "How can that be? We cannot rid ourselves of each other." "I will go anywhere,--into service, away from Nuremberg,--where you will. But I will not be told that I am a liar." And yet Madame Staubach was sure that Linda had lied. She thought that she was sure. And if so,--if it were the case that this young woman had planned an infamous scheme for receiving her lover on a Sunday morning;--the fact that it was on a Sunday morning, and that the hour of the Church service had been used, greatly enhanced the atrocity of the sin in the estimation of Madame Staubach;--if the young woman had intrigued in order that her lover might come to her, of course she would intrigue again. In spite of Linda's solemn protestation as to her self-esteem, the thing would be going on. This infamous young man, who, in Madame Staubach's eyes, was beginning to take the proportions of the Evil One himself, would be coming there beneath her very nose. It seemed to her that life would be impossible to her, unless Linda would consent to be married to the respectable suitor who was still willing to receive her; and that the only way in which to exact that consent would be to insist on the degradation to which Linda had subjected herself. Linda had talked of going into service. Let her go into that service which was now offered to her by those whom she was bound to obey. "Of course Herr Steinmarc knows it all," said Madame Staubach. "I do not regard in the least what Herr Steinmarc knows," replied Linda. "But he is still willing to overlook the impropriety of your conduct, upon condition--" "He overlook it! Let him dare to say such a word to me, and I would tell him that his opinion in this matter was of less moment to me than that of any other creature in all Nuremberg. What is it to him who comes to me? Were it but for him, I would bid the young man come every day." "Linda!" "Do not talk to me about Peter Steinmarc, aunt Charlotte, or I shall go mad." "I must talk about him, and you must hear about him. It is now more than ever necessary that you should be his wife. All Nuremberg will hear of this." "Of course it will,--as Peter Steinmarc knows it." "And how will you cover yourself from your shame?" "I will not cover myself at all. If you are ashamed of me, I will go away. If you will not say that you are not ashamed of me, I will go away. I have done nothing to disgrace me, and I will hear nothing about shame." Having made this brave assertion, she burst into tears, and then escaped to her own bed.