Blanden could not avoid expressing his pleasure thereat, but it was done moderately enough, despite the winning proofs of her sweetness which the young lady had given him. "I consider the company intolerable," continued Lori, unabashed and triumphantly, "the bass voice possesses an original power of bass, like the drunken Schmerbauch, with the bald pate, in Auerbach's cellar; the tenor lives on chronic bad terms with his high notes, he always jumps into the air as it were at them, like a dog at a bone; the _soubrette_ is so terribly pretty, that her little voice even seems to chirp! and the management--did you see the Wolfs-schlucht lately in the 'Freischütz?' Is there a sweeter bit of country in which fire-works can be let off?" "You exercise sharp criticism, my Fräulein," said Herr von Wegen. Blanden observed strict silence, the fortress was now fired upon with red-hot balls. "My brother-in-law is very sorry that you do not visit him, Herr von Blanden, and my sister also; she takes a lively interest in you, as we all do. Besides we owe you some social return, for we were all your guests. You will come to see us soon, will you not?" Blanden promised pleasantly; Lori rose triumphantly to go to the banker, although the sunny prospect of another future disclosed itself already to her mind. To-day she appeared, to herself, so intellectually superior, could it be difficult for her to enchain an interesting man? What had Eva been? The ocean is her grave: only good must be said of her, but she had not much mind. The two friends remained alone, they had much to impart to one another. Wegen came from the Province, he brought the intelligence with him that some farm at Kulmitten had been burned down. Blanden must return home, arrangements must be made to alleviate the want of the farm people. This would have been supremely disagreeable for him had Signora Giulia not informed him in a few lines that she was suddenly summoned to Riga to take a stranger's part, and should only return here in some few weeks' time then to remain during the entire season. "It is perhaps well," said Blanden to Wegen, whom he had initiated into the secret of his newly awakened passion, "that I have leisure, far aloof from the bustle which pervades the town and theatrical life, to examine in perfect quiet whether the new charm to which I have succumbed could be prejudicial to me? I am taking up an old adventure, it is the world which I cannot cast off. At any rate, it is not innocence which I can for a second time drag to a fearful doom." "And are you in earnest about it?" asked Wegen. "If I shall not bury myself in my solitude, if I would live again, it must be, or become earnest with me. First I will examine my own feelings, and then the love and character of the beautiful woman who once again with her snares enters into my life." "I advise you to examine all carefully," said Wegen.