The Historian then brought his daughter up to her and the worthy gentleman at last placed himself near Ilse and talked to her for a long time; she felt with pleasure that this was a great distinction. Afterward she ventured to move some steps from her place in order to ask the wife of Professor Raschke to sit by her. Thus, before long, a charming little circle of acquaintances collected about her. Pretty Mrs. Gunther joked pleasantly and gave her information about the strange ladies and gentlemen. The wife of the Rector also came up and said she must sit near her, as she observed that all were so merry about her. And the Rector's wife darted glances here and there which attracted one gentleman after another to the group; and all who wished to show their respect for the wife of the University president paid their compliments also to the wife of the colleague. There was a coming and going all around her like a fair, and Ilse and the Rector's wife sat there like two twin stars, the brilliancy of one increasing that of the other. All went well and charmingly. Ilse was delighted beyond measure, and there certainly was more shaking of hands in her vicinity than comports with the etiquette of a ball. When Felix approached her once and looked inquiringly at her, she pressed the tips of his fingers gently and gave him such a happy smile that he needed no further answer. During a pause Ilse looked along the sides of the room and perceived the wife of Professor Struvelius on the opposite side. She wore a very dark dress and her Sappho lock hung seriously and sadly from her fine head. The wife of her husband's enemy looked pale and her eyes were quietly cast down. There was something in the beauty of the lady that moved Ilse's heart and she felt as if she must go over to her. She revolved in her mind whether Felix would think it right and was afraid of meeting with a cold rejection; but at last she took heart and walked right across the room up to the learned lady. She had no idea of the effect produced by this step. Ilse had attracted much more attention and had been much more sharply watched than she knew, and those present were more occupied with the quarrel between the two professors than she imagined. As she now went with firm step up to the other lady and stretched out her hand, even before she reached her, there was a remarkable stillness in the room and many eyes were directed to both ladies. The wife of Struvelius rose stiffly, descended one step from her seat, and looked so freezing that Ilse became nervous and could scarcely frame her lips even into the every-day inquiry after her health. "I thank you," replied the lady. "I do not enjoy noisy gatherings. It is perhaps because I am entirely deficient in all the necessary qualifications, for people are only in the right place when they have an opportunity of making their talents in some way available."