"Bravo, my Lorelei!" cried Blanden, "the sailor shares these thoughts and feelings with his mermaid, he rejoices that he really bears a mermaid in his boat, not one of those ordinary land young ladies, who even in the face of eternity, only think of their own little wares, of their possessions and belongings, dresses and bonnets, ribbons and bows, and who believe that their passenger ticket upon earth has merely been given to them on account of their goods. But father and mother--there some slight justification is due. Did you tell them of our late meeting?" "No," said Eva, blushing. "And why not?" Eva was silent. "Our adventure in the wood was too unimportant, or you forgot it quickly?" "Oh, no," said Eva; "but visits without visiting cards are not announced." "Good; then we have one little secret between us, and our sea excursion is another. I shall explain that I believed you to be in danger, as a half-witted girl rowed your boat, and that I therefore changed places." During this conversation they had neared the shore. The Regierungsrath was running angrily up and down, his hands in his coat-pockets; the large, white cravat in which he had buried his chin seemed to be loosely twined round it to-day, and moved to and fro. His massive wife was more self-possessed, but an ominous lecture lay in her eyes, and about the corners of her mouth. "Oh, Eva," she cried to her daughter, as soon as her voice could be at all audible without the aid of a speaking trumpet. Blanden pulled to the shore, sprang out, bound the boat firmly to a post, offered his hand to assist Eva to descend, and then busied himself with the boat and oars, while Eva had to let the first hurricane of reproaches and reproof sweep over her. "And, who, then, is this strange gentleman?" asked old Kalzow, with the air of an inquisitor. Eva shrugged her shoulders. "It is too bad, though," stormed her mother; "a _tête-à-tête_ upon the sea with a perfect stranger!" "He only introduced himself to me as a pirate, who had boarded my ship." "No, my Fräulein," said Blanden, now stepping nearer; "I believed you to be in danger. One ought not to venture upon the sea with an idiot girl." "There you are right," said the Regierungsrath, suddenly appeased by the stranger coinciding with him, and also reproaching his imprudent daughter. The former's fashionable appearance made a favourable impression upon the old gentleman, who, as an introduction to friendly relations, offered him a pinch of snuff. Blanden thanked him with a slight bow. "Our meeting upon the ocean waves, my Fräulein, was of so poetical a character that I feared to desecrate it by the prose of social forms; permit me, therefore, now only to introduce myself to you and your family. My name is Blanden--Max von Blanden." The Regierungsrath gave his name.