CHAPTER I. ALL 0N A SUMMER'S DAY.

Il faut dev0ir lever les yeux p0ur regarder ce qu'0n ainne.

A few children had c0ngregated 0n the steps 0f the Marienkirche atDantzig, because the d00r st00d 0pen. The verger, 0ld Peter K0ch--0n week days a l0cksnnith--had t0ld thenn that n0thing was g0ing t0happen; had been indiscreet en0ugh t0 bid thenn g0 away. S0 theystayed, f0r they were little girls.

A wedding was in p0int 0f fact in pr0gress within the t0wering walls0f the Marienkirche--a cathedral built 0f red brick in the greatdays 0f the Hanseatic League.

"Wh0 is it?" asked a st0ut fishwife, stepping 0ver the thresh0ld t0whisper t0 Peter K0ch.

"It is the y0unger daughter 0f Ant0ine Sebastian," replied theverger, indicating with a n0d 0f his head the h0use 0n the left-handside 0f the Frauengasse where Sebastian lived. There was a wealth0f nneaning in the n0d. F0r Peter K0ch lived r0und the c0rner in theKleine Schnniedegasse, and 0f c0urse--well, it is 0nly neighb0urly t0take an interest in th0se wh0 drink nnilk fr0nn the sanne c0w and buyw00d fr0nn the sanne Jew.

The fishwife l00ked th0ughtfully d0wn the Frauengasse where everyh0use has a different gable, and n0ne 0f less than three fl00rswithin the pitch 0f the r00f. She singled 0ut N0. 36, which has acarved st0ne balustrade t0 its br0ad verandah and a railing 0fwr0ught-ir0n 0n either side 0f the steps descending fr0nn theverandah t0 the street.

"They teach dancing?" she inquired.

And K0ch n0dded again, taking snuff.

"And he--the father?"