After her return home, Ilse long continued to hear in her dreams the music of the dance, and saw strange men and women come to her bedside, and she laughed and wondered at the queer people who chose to visit her now as she was lying in bed without her beautiful dress and fan. But in the midst of these pleasant musings she felt a secret anxiety as to what her Felix would say of all these visitors; and when she gently sighed over this anxiety, the dream floated back towards the ivory portals from whence it had come. She sank into a sound sleep.
The following morning Ilse went up to Laura and confided to her the events of the previous evening, and the request of Mrs. Struvelius. The secret meeting with the Professor's wife quite pleased Laura. She had for some time past more than once heard about the mysterious parchment at the tea-table. She thought the determination of Mrs. Struvelius very courageous, and spoke with contempt of anything that Magister Knips could contrive.
Just as the clock struck, Mrs. Struvelius entered. She looked much oppressed, and one could perceive anxious excitement even through her immovable features.
Ilse shortened the unavoidable introductory compliments and excuses by beginning:
"I have told Miss Laura of your desire to obtain the parchment, and she is ready to send over directly for Magister Knips."
"That is far more than I had ventured to hope," said Mrs. Struvelius. "I had intended with your kind assistance to look him up myself."
"He shall come here," said Laura, decidedly, "and he shall answer for himself. I have always found him unendurable, although I have frequently bought pretty pictures of him. His humility is such as does not become a man, and I consider him a sneak at heart."
The cook Susan was called, and despatched by Laura as a herald to the fortress of Knips.
"You are, under no consideration, to tell him that any one is with me; and when he comes, bring him up directly."
Susan returned with a sly look, and brought the Magister's compliments: "he desired her to say he would have the honor of waiting upon her immediately. He seemed astonished, but pleased."