Our hero was accustomed to his brother’s manner; he knew that the words were not intended to be as wild as they sounded, and his brother was showing his love and respect for their father by the fact of his obedience; still our hero would have liked to see them shown in speech as well as in action.  It seemed to Apollonius as if there were something unclean on his brother’s soul and involuntarily he stroked the other’s coat collar several times with his hand as if he could brush it off him from outside.  Dust had collected on the collar during the dance; when he had removed it he felt as if he had really removed what had troubled him.

The subject of their conversation changed.  They began to speak of the girl who had just been out, fanning herself to get cool; Apollonius certainly did not know that he was responsible for this.  Just as the girl was the goal to which all his lines of thought led, so, too, when once he began to speak of her he could not escape from his theme.  He forgot his brother so completely that at last he was really talking to himself.  His brother now seemed for the first time to perceive all the beautiful and good things in her that the hero lauded with unconscious eloquence.  He agreed with more and more enthusiasm until he broke into a wild laugh which roused the hero from his self-forgetfulness and dyed his cheeks as red as those of the girl had been a short time before.

“And so you slink about round the hall where she is dancing with others, and if she shows herself you haven’t the heart to draw her into conversation.  Wait, I will be your ambassador.  From now on she shall dance no turn except with me, so that no one else shall cross your plans.  I know how to get on with girls.  Let me take your part for you.”

Our hero was frightened at the thought that the girl should learn that very day what he felt for her.  Besides, he was ashamed of his own embarrassed and awkward behavior to her, and of what she must think of him when she knew that he needed a mediator.  He had already raised his hand to stop his brother when the appearance of the girl herself caused everything else to grow dark to him.  Quietly and alone, as before, she stepped out of the door.  Beneath the scarf with which she had fanned herself she seemed to glance furtively about her.  Again he saw her cheeks grow redder.  Had she seen him?  But she turned her face in the opposite direction.  She seemed to be looking for something in the grass in front of her.  He saw her pick a little flower, lay it on a bench and, after she had stood for a time as if in doubt whether she should pick it up again or not, with quick decision turn again to the door.  A half involuntary movement of her arm seemed to tell him to take it, that it was picked for him.  Once more a wave of red rushed up over her face to her dark brown hair, and the haste with which she disappeared in the door seemed intended to prevent a regret which might give rise to anxiety as to how her conduct would be understood.