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Mr。 Treffry took it in his forgers。
〃Rum little toad！ Cost a pot of money； I expect！〃 He eyed Harz
doubtfully。
They went into the next room now； and Herr Paul； taking Greta's
bandage； transferred it to his own eyes。
〃Take caretake care； all！〃 he cried； 〃I am a devil of a catcher；〃
and； feeling the air cautiously； he moved forward like a bear about
to hug。 He caught no one。 Christian and Greta whisked under his
arms and left him grasping at the air。 Mrs。 Decie slipped past with
astonishing agility。 Mr。 Treffry； smoking his cigar； and barricaded
in a corner； jeered： 〃Bravo； Paul！ The active beggar！ Can't he run！
Go it； Greta！〃
At last Herr Paul caught Cousin Teresa； who； fattened against the
wall； lost her head； and stood uttering tiny shrieks。
Suddenly Mrs。 Decie started playing The Blue Danube。 Herr Paul
dropped the handkerchief； twisted his moustache up fiercely； glared
round the room； and seizing Greta by the waist； began dancing
furiously； bobbing up and down like a cork in lumpy water。 Cousin
Teresa followed suit with Miss Naylor； both very solemn； and dancing
quite different steps。 Harz； went up to Christian。
〃I can't dance；〃 he said； 〃that is； I have only danced once； butif
you would try with me！〃
She put her hand on his arm； and they began。 She danced； light as a
feather； eyes shining； feet flying； her body bent a little forward。
It was not a great success at first； but as soon as the time had got
into Harz's feet； they went swinging on when all the rest had
stopped。 Sometimes one couple or another slipped through the window
to dance on the veranda； and came whirling in again。 The lamplight
glowed on the girls' white dresses； on Herr Paul's perspiring face。
He constituted in himself a perfect orgy； and when the music stopped
flung himself； full length； on the sofa gasping out：
〃My God！ But； my God！〃
Suddenly Christian felt Harz cling to her arm。
Glowing and panting she looked at him。
〃Giddy！〃 he murmured： 〃I dance so badly； but I'll soon learn。〃
Greta clapped her hands： 〃Every evening we will dance； every evening
we will dance。〃
Harz looked at Christian； the colour had deepened in her face。
〃I'll show you how they dance in my village； feet upon the ceiling！〃
And running to Dawney； he said：
〃Hold me here！ Lift meso！ Now； ontwo；〃 he tried to swing his
feet above his head； but； with an 〃Ouch！〃 from Dawney； they
collapsed； and sat abruptly on the floor。 This untimely event
brought the evening to an end。 Dawney left； escorting Cousin Teresa；
and Harz strode home humming The Blue Danube； still feeling
Christian's waist against his arm。
In their room the two girls sat long at the window to cool themselves
before undressing。
〃Ah！〃 sighed Greta； 〃this is the happiest birthday I have had。〃
Cristian too thought： 'I have never been so happy in my life as I
have been to…day。 I should like every day to be like this！' And she
leant out into the night； to let the air cool her cheeks。
〃Chris！〃 said Greta some days after this； 〃Miss Naylor danced last
evening； I think she shall have a headache to…day。 There is my
French and my history this morning。〃
〃Well； I can take them。〃
〃That is nice； then we can talk。 I am sorry about the headache。 I
shall give her some of my Eau de Cologne。〃
Miss Naylor's headaches after dancing were things on which to
calculate。 The girls carried their books into the arbour； it was a
showery day； and they had to run for shelter through the raindrops
and sunlight。
〃The French first； Chris！〃 Greta liked her French； in which she was
not far inferior to Christian； the lesson therefore proceeded in an
admirable fashion。 After one hour exactly by her watch
（Mr。 Treffry's birthday present loved and admired at least once every
hour） Greta rose。
〃Chris； I have not fed my rabbits。〃
〃Be quick！ there's not much time for history。〃
Greta vanished。 Christian watched the bright water dripping from the
roof； her lips were parted in a smile。 She was thinking of something
Harz had said the night before。 A discussion having been started as
to whether average opinion did； or did not； safeguard Society； Harz；
after sitting silent； had burst out： 〃I think one man in earnest is
better than twenty half…hearted men who follow tamely； in the end he
does Society most good。〃
Dawney had answered： 〃If you had your way there would be no Society。〃
〃I hate Society because it lives upon the weak。〃
〃Bah！〃 Herr Paul chimed in； 〃the weak goes to the wall； that is as
certain as that you and I are here。〃
〃Let them fall against the wall；〃 cried Harz； 〃don't push them
there。。。。〃
Greta reappeared； walking pensively in the rain。
〃Bino；〃 she said； sighing； 〃has eaten too much。 I remember now； I
did feed them before。 Must we do the history； Chris？〃
〃Of course！〃
Greta opened her book； and put a finger in the page。 〃Herr Harz is
very kind to me；〃 she said。 〃Yesterday he brought a bird which had。
come into his studio with a hurt wing； he brought it very gently in
his handkerchiefhe is very kind； the bird was not even frightened
of him。 You did not know about that； Chris？〃
Chris flushed a little； and said in a hurt voice
〃I don't see what it has todo with me。〃
〃No；〃 assented Greta。
Christian's colour deepened。 〃Go on with your history； Greta。〃
〃Only；〃 pursued Greta； 〃that he always tells you all about things；
Chris。〃
〃He doesn't！ How can you say that！〃
〃I think he does； and it is because you do not make him angry。 It is
very easy to make him angry； you have only to think differently； and
he shall be angry at once。〃
〃You are a little cat！〃 said Christian； 〃it isn't true； at all。 He
hates shams； and can't bear meanness； and it is mean to cover up
dislikes and pretend that you agree with people。〃
〃Papa says that he thinks too much about himself。〃
〃Father！〃 began Christian hotly； biting her lips she stopped； and
turned her wrathful eyes on Greta。
〃You do not always show your dislikes； Chris。〃
〃I？ What has that to do with it？ Because one is a coward that
doesn't make it any better； does it？〃
〃I think that he has a great many dislikes；〃 murmured Greta。
〃I wish you would attend to your own faults； and not pry into other
people's；〃 and pushing the book aside； Christian gazed in front of
her。
Some minutes passed； then Greta leaning over； rubbed a cheek against
her shoulder。
〃I am very sorry； ChrisI only wanted to be talking。 Shall I read
some history？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Christian coldly。
〃Are you angry with me； Chris？〃
There was no answer。 The lingering raindrops pattered down on the
roof。 Greta pulled at her sister's sleeve。
〃Look； Chris！〃 she said。 〃There is Herr Harz！〃
Christian looked up； dropped her eyes again； and said： 〃Will you go
on with the history； Greta？〃
Greta sighed。
〃Yes； I willbut； oh！ Chris； there is the luncheon gong！〃 and she
meekly closed the book。
During the following weeks there was a 〃sitting〃 nearly every
afternoon。 Miss Naylor usually attended them； the little lady was；
to a certain extent； carried past objection。 She had begun to take
an interest in the picture； and to watch the process out of the
corner of her eye； in the depths of her dear mind； however； she never
quite got used to the vanity and waste of time； her lips would move
and her knitting…needles click in suppressed remonstrances。
What Harz did fast he did best； if he had leisure he 〃saw too much；〃
loving his work so passionately that he could never tell exactly when
to stop。 He hated to lay things aside； always thinking： 〃I can get
it better。〃 Greta was finished； but with Christian； try as he would；
he was not satisfied； from day to day her face seemed to him to
change； as if her soul were growing。
There were things too in her eyes that he could neither read nor
reproduce。
Dawney would often stroll out to them after his daily visit； and
lying on the grass； his arms crossed behind his head； and a big cigar
between his lips； would gently banter everybody。 Tea came at five
o'clock； and then Mrs。 Decie appeared armed with a magazine or novel；
for she was proud of her literary knowledge。 The sitting was
suspended； Harz； with a cigarette； would move between the table and
the picture； drinking his tea； putting a touch in here and there； he
never sat down till it was all over for the day。 During these
〃rests〃 there was talk； usually ending in discussion。 Mrs。 Decie was
happiest in conversations of a literary order； making frequent use of
such expressions as： 〃After all； it produces an illusiondoes
anything else matter？〃 〃Rather a poseur； is he not？〃 〃A question；
that； of temperament；〃 or 〃A matter of the definition of words〃； and
other charming generali