That frigid reason of the craven has red-hot perceptions.  It spies the spot of truth.  Were the spot revealed in the man the whole man, then, so unerring is the eyeshot at him, we should have only to transform ourselves into cowards fronting a crisis to read him through and topple over the Sphinx of life by presenting her the sum of her most mysterious creature in an epigram.  But there was as much more in Alvan than any faint-hearted thing, seeing however keenly, could see, as there is more in the world than the epigrams aimed at it contain.

‘Courage!’ said he:  and she tremblingly:  ‘Be careful!’ And then they were in the presence of her mother and sister.

Her sister was at the window, hanging her head low, a poor figure.  Her mother stood in the middle of the room, and met them full face, with a woman’s combative frown of great eyes, in which the stare is a bolt.

‘Away with that man!  I will not suffer him near me,’ she cried.

Alvan advanced to her:  ’Tell me, madame, in God’s name, what you have against me.’

She swung her back on him.  ’Go, sir! my husband will know how to deal with one like you.  Out of my sight, I say!’

The brutality of this reception of Alvan nerved Clotilde.  She went up to him, and laying her hand on his arm, feeling herself almost his equal, said:  ’Let us go:  come.  I will not bear to hear you so spoken to.  No one shall treat you like that when I am near.’

She expected him to give up the hopeless task, after such an experience of the commencement.  He did but clasp her hand, assuring the Frau von Rudiger that no word of hers could irritate him.  ’Nothing can make me forget that you are Clotilde’s mother.  You are the mother of the lady I love, and may say what you will to me, madame.  I bear it.’

’A man spotted with every iniquity the world abhors, and I am to see him holding my daughter by the hand!—­it is too abominable!  And because there is no one present to chastise him, he dares to address me and talk of his foul passion for my daughter.  I repeat:  that which you have to do is to go.  My ears are shut.  You can annoy, you can insult, you cannot move me.  Go.’  She stamped:  her aspect spat.

Alvan bowed.  Under perfect self-command, he said:  ’I will go at once to Clotilde’s father.  I may hope, that with a reasonable man I shall speedily come to an understanding.’

She retorted:  ’Enter his house, and he will have you driven out by his lacqueys.’

‘Hardly:  I am not of those men who are driven from houses,’ Alvan said, smiling.  ’But, madame, I will act on your warning, and spare her father, for all sakes, the attempt; seeing he does not yet know whom he deals with.  I will write to him.’

’Letters from you will be flung back unopened.

‘It may, of course, be possible to destroy even my patience, madame.’

‘Mine, sir, is at an end.’

‘You reduce us to rely on ourselves; it is the sole alternative.’