"Listen to me, little one," said the young man, in a low but very decided tone of voice; "I do not like that. You know I love you dearly, just as much as a brother can love his sister; but, for that very reason, I must take care to keep you from doing foolish things. And I shall take care, I assure you!"
With these words he turned his back upon her and went to join the others.
Emily could hardly repress her tears. Her anxiety increased with every hour. She must find means--one way or another. The resolute girl bethought herself of a desperate step.
She went up to Helen, who was sitting not far from her on the divan, with some other ladies, and said:
"One word, Helen."
"What is it?" asked Helen, rising.
"Come a little more this way.--Helen, you like Doctor Stein? I know you do!"
"What do you mean?" asked Helen, and the tell-tale blush rose to her pale cheeks.
"Never mind. I like him, too. Like him very much indeed, if you will have it,--and that is why I ask you to tell him--you can do it, and I cannot do it, or I would do it myself--to leave the party. Cloten, and my brother, and the other men are furious about him. I am afraid they have made a plot against him. Pray, pray, Helen, tell him to go--at once--I should be beside myself if the slightest difficulty arose between him and my brother or Cloten."
"But where is he?" said Helen, who knew, from other reasons, how very probable Emily's apprehensions were. "I believe he has gone up stairs again."