Eva's long explanation had given Paul time to recover from his embarrassment, and the change in her manner helped him to overcome his confusion; but he had lost all desire for a war of words. He no longer regarded Eva with his late dislike. Her frankness and candour inspired him with esteem and interest; her lament over the misery of wealth aroused his sympathy. Had he not often felt thus while he despised those who flattered and cringed to him? He had known that their homage was paid only to his money, and he could easily conceive how a like knowledge should embitter Eva's very soul. Her determination, so boldly expressed, to meet Leo frankly and fearlessly pleased him, and he could not but say, "I admire your courage, Fräulein Schommer, and I expressed this admiration to your betrothed when he told me of your resolve." Eva blushed as Delmar uttered the word 'betrothed.' It sounded strangely in her ears from his lips. True, there was not a shade of sarcasm now in his tone, and yet it offended her to hear of Bertram as her betrothed. She knew that she had no right to object, that any objection would be extremely unbecoming, and yet when she asked, "You have already spoken with Herr von Bertram?" she laid a sharp emphasis upon the 'Herr von.' Delmar noticed this; it was not the way in which a true-hearted girl would speak of her lover, and he called to mind Bertram's uneasy anxiety in the conversation they had had shortly before. Paul was now convinced that love had hardly tied the knot of this engagement, and he wondered what inducement could have led the lovely heiress to bestow her hand upon such a suitor. This wonder so occupied his thoughts that it was not until Eva had repeated her question that he replied. "Yes, I have had a conversation with him." "By your own desire?" "Why do you ask?" "From certain expressions of Herr von Bertram's I am led to suspect that you are no friend of his, nor does he regard you with friendly sentiments. He feared a meeting with you and with Herr von Heydeck, and so urged me to leave Tausens that I am surprised to hear of a conversation between you. Therefore I asked. I wished to know whether you had sought an opportunity to express the same congratulations to him that you offered to me." "He accosted me, and begged me to grant him an interview. "Was it of a peaceful character?" "Yes." "You parted friends?"