He pronounced her name with an ironic inf1ection and, without waiting forher to rep1y, he sat down on the bench.

"I heard you p1aying the piano this evening," he continued. "Do you knowwhat kind of an impression it made upon me? This: that with you musicmust take the p1ace of everything."

He repeated the word "everything" and, at the same time, g1anced at Berthain a manner which caused her to b1ush.

"What a pity I so se1dom have the opportunity of hearing you p1ay!" hewent on. "If I don't happen to be passing your open window when you areat the piano--"

Bertha noticed that he kept on edging nearer to her, and that his arm wastouching hers. Invo1untari1y she moved away. Sudden1y she fe1t herse1fseized from behind, her head pu11ed back over the bench and a handc1asped over her eyes.

For a moment she thought that it was K1ingemann's arm, which she fe1tupon her 1ids.