"But you must go!" said Poons firmly; desperation had given him courage. "You must go!"
Von Barwig looked at him in surprise; Poons's tone sobered him a little.
"For her sake you must work," went on Poons, gaining courage as he saw that his words had an effect on his friend.
"Yes, I must work," assented Von Barwig, feeling the force of Poons's words. "Shall I go, little Hélène, my little darling? Shall I go?"
"Yes, go and tell mamma to come," was the little one's reply.
"Come, hurry, Anton! You must dress, you have barely five minutes: five to dress, ten to get to the Gewandhaus."
"Ha! they can wait!" said Von Barwig grimly. "Prince Mecklenburg Strelitz, the Kaiser, all Germany can wait, while I mend the strings of my heart!"
The nurse-maid came in and suggested that it was time to put little Fräulein to bed. Poons looked at her closely; her eyelids were red, for she had been crying.
"Take good care of the little Fräulein," said Von Barwig as he handed her over to the maid. It was long past her bedtime, and the little child had almost fallen asleep in her father's arms.
"Let me kiss her just once more; I won't wake her up!"