THE YOUNG WIDOW OF BREMEN. 153 



Mary had never married again. This was not for want of offers. Each 

 suitor, however, met the same cold, civil repulse, and the same answer, 

 in nearly the same words. She said that she could not love him. In- 

 deed, the standing jest of her neighbours was, that Mary never looked 

 serious save when refusing an offer. 



Up to the period of our narrative, her life during her widowhood 

 had been pure above the breath of scandal ; but the same could not 

 wholly be said of her married career. There were queer tales of a 

 young Bavarian officer, whom her husband had found too familiar with 

 his household on his return from a short absence, and whom he drove 

 an die degens spitze out of Bremen ; for Hermann Von Korper the older, 

 was a man whom few dared to trifle with. But nothing more was ever 

 made of this story than a mere domestic quarrel, and the early unble- 

 mished widowhood of Mary banished it from the memories of all save 

 the very old, or the very scandalous. 



Our narrative properly begins with the return of young Hermann 

 home in the autumn. He was now eighteen full of impetuous passions 

 and feelings ; just in this point resembling his father, though when 

 nothing roused him, you would have thought him a quiet, melancholy, 

 low- voiced youth. 



The household of Mary Von Korper included a Verwalter, or land 

 and house- steward a sort of confidential manager, raised over all the 

 other servants, and filling, in some sort, the place of master of her 

 establishment. This office had long been filled by one who had entitled 

 himself to the esteem of all the neighbours, and they all sorrowed greatly 

 when old Muller was persuaded by his kind young mistress to better his 

 fortune, by accepting a far higher service which she, unsolicited, pro- 

 cured for him. His place was filled by a wholly different sort of person, 

 and filled so rapidly, that few knew of the change until the stranger was 

 amongst them. Adolphe Brauer was a far younger man than his pre- 

 decessor, but he was far less liked. Not because he was rude or haughty 

 to the poor ; on the contrary his manners were more than commonly 

 courteous. But all this suavity wanted heartiness and sincerity, and he 

 was feared rather than loved. 



I knew the widow's family at this time, and with herself I was always 

 on terms of the most friendly and confidential intercourse. Before this 

 visit, I had been as kindly received by her son as was possible with one 

 of his close and reserved character. Now, however, his manners were 

 more than cold j they were absolutely repulsive. 



Meanwhile, rumours began to circulate : first scattered and low- 

 whispered then more uniform and frequent louder in voice and bolder 

 in assertion, against the character of my fair neighbour. It was said 

 that the new steward seemed high in his lady's confidence and favour ; 

 that he was admitted to many long and close private consultations with 

 her ; nay, even that diejunge Wittwe had been seen leaning on his arm 

 in the open street ; and sorely were the antique Misses Keppelcranick, 

 time out of mind, the best modistes in Bremen, scandalized thereat. 

 Out of this same walk had further arisen a most remarkable rencontre 

 which was witnessed by Peter Snick the tailor, who lay perdu behind 

 a high wall over which, now and then, he could peep with fear and 

 trembling. 



Hermann, who had left his mother's house for the day, but had 

 returned home sooner than he had expected, on turning a corner into the 



