but with the certainty of dying early, or whether she would spread round her father in his old days that joy and peace which had hitherto been unknown to him, and so secure a long life.  She threw herself sobbing into his arms, and he, knowing the heartrending trial that was before her, did not press for a more explicit declaration, He talked the matter over with her betrothed; but, notwithstanding that the latter averred that no note should ever cross Antonia’s lips, the Councillor was only too well aware that even B——­ could not resist the temptation of hearing her sing, at any rate arias of his own composition.  And the world, the musical public, even though acquainted with the nature of the singer’s affliction, would certainly not relinquish its claims to hear her, for in cases where pleasure is concerned people of this class are very selfish and cruel.  The Councillor disappeared from F——­ along with Antonia, and came to H——.  B——­ was in despair when he learned that they had gone.  He set out on their track, overtook them, and arrived at H——­ at the same time that they did.  “Let me see him only once, and then die!” entreated Antonia.  “Die! die!” cried Krespel, wild with anger, an icy shudder running through him.  His daughter, the only creature in the wide world who had awakened in him the springs of unknown joy, who alone had reconciled him to life, tore herself away from his heart, and he—­he suffered the terrible trial to take place.  B——­ sat down to the piano; Antonia sang; Krespel fiddled away merrily, until the two red spots showed themselves on Antonia’s cheeks.  Then he bade her stop; and as B——­ was taking leave of his betrothed, she suddenly fell to the floor with a loud scream.  “I thought,” continued Krespel in his narration, “I thought that she was, as I had anticipated, really dead; but as I had prepared myself for the worst, my calmness did not leave me, nor my self-command desert me.  I grasped B——­, who stood like a silly sheep in his dismay, by the shoulders, and said (here the Councillor fell into his singing tone), ’Now that you, my estimable pianoforte-player, have, as you wished and desired, really murdered your betrothed, you may quietly take your departure; at least have the goodness to make yourself scarce before I run my bright hanger through your heart.  My daughter, who, as you see, is rather pale, could very well do with some color from your precious blood.  Make haste and run, for I might also hurl a nimble knife or two after you.’  I must, I suppose, have looked rather formidable as I uttered these words, for, with a cry of the greatest terror, B——­ tore himself loose from my grasp, rushed out of the room, and down the steps.”  Directly after B——­ was gone, when the Councillor tried to lift up his daughter, who lay unconscious on the floor, she opened her eyes with a deep sigh, but soon closed them again as if about to die.  Then Krespel’s grief found vent aloud, and would not be comforted.  The doctor, whom the old housekeeper had called in, pronounced