separated from Ernst. She has reached the goal."

I felt as if the clouds were again gathering before my eyes, but,
through the mists, I met Gustava's lustrous eyes, saying, "She was true
till death."

Wolfgang took my hand in his, and the youth's firm grasp gave me
renewed strength. I begged him to tell me all, and he began:

"We brought you down to Aunt Annette, who, foreboding evil, had met us
half-way. It then suddenly occurred to us that in our dreadful
excitement and anxiety about you, no one had taken care of Martella,
and that she had not followed us. Rothfuss said he was completely worn
out, and must stay with his master. Ikwarte has nerves and muscles of
steel. I felt as if my eyes burnt in their sockets; never before
had I been so tired; but I returned with him, nevertheless, to the
battle-field, half dead with sleep and fatigue." Wolfgang shivered,
stopped awhile, and then continued: "We knew the place where Ernst lay,
and soon found him. The moon lit up his face wonderfully. Beside him
lay Martella, motionless; she clung to him in a close embrace, cheek to
cheek, hand in hand. Is she dead, too? It were best! I bent down to
her; she breathed heavily. I called her name. How she stared at me
wildly and vacantly! Then she motioned us to be quiet, and whispered,
'He will soon be warm again; soon, very soon.' I tried to persuade her
to follow us; she answered, 'O Wolfgang! you are so good; bring some
wild honey. Oh, wait, Ernst! your nephew is coming with wild honey, and
here I have your cup, your hunting cup.' I tried to persuade her, and
she answered, 'Oh, you have mother's voice. Mother, tell him, oh, tell
him to rise again.' She threw herself beside the corpse, and when I
cried, 'Martella, get up; come with us,' she answered, 'You see he
cannot move now, but I will follow you; you have my mother's voice.'
She did not then seem to remember the dead. She went with me and let me
lead her by the hand; but suddenly she tore away and returned, crying,
'They leave him lying alone on the cold ground, in the dark night.'

"She broke down. We tried to administer some restorative, but her mouth
was firmly closed, and her breast was heaving violently. At last
Ikwarte succeeded in administering the draught. We brought her to a
ruined house in the vicinity. The doors had all been taken off--I had
helped at the work myself; they had done service as litters.

"We placed Martella on a seat by the hearth, and I succeeded i