She became embarrassed, and tried to go on talking.

"Because such an immense quantity--because the whole world--"

She felt that this was dishonest, even that she was robbing some onewho could not defend himself; and accordingly she added, repentantly,as it were:

"You must know, there's a man living in our little town who has an album,or rather a portfolio, of engravings, and that's how I know the picture.His name is Rupius, he is fairly infirm; just fancy, he is quiteparalysed."

She felt obliged to tell Emil all this, for it seemed to her as thoughhis eyes were unceasingly questioning her.

"That might be a chapter, too," he exclaimed, with a smile, when she had cometo an end; then he added more softly, as though ashamed of his indelicatejoke: "There must certainly also be gentlemen in that little city who arenot paralysed."