"My dearest Maria, Baron Hormayr has been using all his influence with us both to forbear from shedding blood in a hopeless case. And he has promised to take me with him in his own carriage to Vienna to be out of the way a little, till the affair has blown over. "What, and give up the cause?" cried Maria in blank dismay. Her look smote her husband to the heart. "Then you don't approve of it?" said he, inquiringly. "Why, _do you_?" "Well, I don't know--Eisenstecken has given it up for one--" Maria dropped the baby into the little wooden cradle on the dresser, and began to furbish a brass skillet very vigorously. --"But, if you don't," faltered he, "neither shall I; for, if my life is worth nothing to _you_, to me it is not of the value of a kreutzer." "O Speckbacher!" cried she, suddenly flinging her arms about his neck. "Well, what now?" said he; his eyes beginning to grow misty. "How _can_ you say such things?" sobbed Maria. "Not worth a kreutzer, indeed! You, the best Tyrolese that lives!--the father of a family--a married man--a responsible person--known and beloved by all--to talk of not being worth a kreutzer!--" Here Anderl increased the effect by beginning to weep aloud, and with perseverance. "Well," said Speckbacher, in a stifled voice, and drawing her very close to him, "you seemed to think I was deserting the cause--" "Yes, only--no--that is--If Baron Hormayr says right,--and he ought to know,--why, the cause is deserting _you_, not you it--at least--Ah, it is not so! O Speckbacher, I am pulled two ways! why have you made me think the cause so important all along, if you are going to forsake it now?" "Why, so it is--" "Then, why desert it?" "Because, dear, they say it's hopeless. I wish you would not use that uncomfortable word 'desert.'" "I will not--I feel persuaded that a brave man may forsake a hopeless cause--nay, I think he owes it to those who love him. What sleepless nights have you given me, Speckbacher! But now, if I think you are safe, my rest will be sweet." "I declare I know not what to do," cried Speckbacher, tossing his arms upwards, and then starting up and pacing the room in an agitated manner,--then, throwing himself into a seat,--"I'll be guided by you." "Then go with the Baron," said Maria, after a moment's pause--"yours is too precious a life to be thrown away. When I felt it useless to remonstrate, and my mind was convinced besides, I wound myself up to a sort of false composure; but now, that has all dissolved away; the necessity for it is gone, and I can only see you, hear you, think of you as the dearest of husbands, the best and tenderest of men."