“I think you would not have been interested even if you had never been on the shelf,” she said frankly.  “You are not the type of man to be generous to woman.”

“May I ask one little question of you, which shall conclude this subject,” he said, “since here we are already at the Gasthaus:  to which type of learned woman do you lay claim to belong?”

Bernardine laughed.

“That I leave to your own powers of discrimination.” she said, and then added, “if you have any.”

And that was the end of the matter, for the word spread about that Herr Allitsen had arrived, and every one turned out to give the two guests greeting.  Frau Steinhart smothered Bernardine with motherly tenderness, and whispered in her ear: 

“You are betrothed now, liebes Fraeulein?  Ach, I am sure of it.”

But Bernardine smiled and shook her head, and went to greet the others who crowded round them; and at last poor Catharina drew near too, holding Bernardine’s hand lovingly within her own.  Then Hans, Liza’s lover, came upon the scene, and Liza told the Disagreeable Man that she and Hans were to be married in a month’s time.  And the Disagreeable Man, much to Bernardine’s amazement, drew from his pocket a small parcel, which he confided to Liza’s care.  Every one pressed round her while she opened it, and found what she had so often wished for, a silver watch and chain.

“Ach,” she cried, “how heavenly!  How all the girls here will envy me!  How angry my dear friend Susanna will be!”

Then there were the photographs to be examined.

Liza looked with stubborn disapproval on the pictures of herself in her working-dress.  But she did not conceal her admiration of the portraits which showed her to the world in her best finery.

“Ach,” she cried, “this is something like a photograph!”

The Disagreeable Man grunted, but behaved after the fashion of a hero, claiming, however, a little silent sympathy from Bernardine.

It was a pleasant, homely scene:  and Bernardine, who, felt quite at her ease amongst these people, chatted away with them as though she had known them all her life.

Then Frau Steinhart suddenly remembered that her guests needed some food, and Liza was despatched to her duties as cook; though it was some time before she could be induced to leave off looking at the photographs.

“Take them with you, Liza,” said the Disagreeable Man.  “Then we shall get our meal all the quicker!”

She ran off laughing, and finally Bernardine found herself alone with Catharina.

“Liza is very happy,” she said to Bernardine.  “She loves, and is loved.”

“That is the greatest happiness,” Bernardine said half to herself.

“Fraeulein knows?” Catharina asked eagerly.

Bernardine looked wistfully at her companion.  “No, Catharina,” she said.  “I have only heard and read and seen.”

“Then you cannot understand,” Catharina said almost proudly.  “But I understand!”