o
sincere in his purpose of resigning her to his friend, that he did not
trust himself even to touch her, precisely because he felt that she
would not have resisted. When she had gone, he sank down on a bench
like a heavily burdened man and pressed his hands to his eyes. Amid all
his sorrow, he revelled in the bliss of knowing that she loved him, and
each word which had assured him of the fact still echoed in his soul.

He was suddenly roused from this happy reverie by a loud cry in the
courtyard, close to the door that opened into the back building. He
recognized Reginchen's voice, and in mortal terror started up, tore
open the door, and was about to rush across the entry into the
courtyard. But a terrible sight checked him.

On the threshold of the back building, which was reached by two steps,
lay Balder, wrapped in his dark cloak and completely insensible. The
unfortunate youth must have overheard the whole conversation, since he
had not dared to move lest he should betray his presence. Who would
undertake to describe the storm that raged in his soul, as silently
leaning against the wall, he saw all his dearest illusions shattered!
His still delicate chest heaved and labored till he thought he was
suffocating, and the idea that the two happy lovers might come out and
find him there pierced his heart like glowing iron. He had already
risen to rush out into the street, when her proposal to bring the
present from the front of the house again bound him to his dark corner.
But he thought he would take advantage of the few minutes before her
return. As soon as she had disappeared in the passage, he hastily
dragged himself to the door--clinging to the wall as his limbs refused
to support him, in order to reach the staircase that led to his room.
But just as he had gained the second step, his strength failed, a
stream of blood gushed from his lips, and he fell fainting on the
threshold.

When Reginchen returned with the little package, she started at the
sight of the dark mass that barred her way, but when she recognized the
fair hair and saw the dark stains on the stones close by, she lost all
composure and screamed for help as piteously as if she herself had been
stabbed to the heart. She did not exchange a word or glance with the
friend who came hurrying out. In the twinkling of an eye everything
became clear to her, and she shrank like a criminal from the eyes of
her fellow culprit. They carried the unconscious suffe