ly chid the old woman's lamentation. Warmly wrapped, I
led her over the threshold of the low room; she wavered for a moment, as
she saw Klaus on the stairs by the light of the oil-lamp. Then he raised
her in his arms, and in the smoking, unsteady light of the lamp, which
was being put out by the draught, I saw how he went down the steps with
her, how two slender arms were put around his neck, sure and fast. With
tottering knees I followed them, to take Susanna Mattoni to Buetze again.

"And the way home! Never has a drive seemed so endless to me. I sat
silent beside the girl; I was angry with her, bitterly angry for being
loved by Klaus. The pride of a pure and ancient stock arose in my heart
in its full strength, and if ever I hated Susanna Mattoni it was on that
night, in the dark carriage. Then I felt her lightly touch my clothes,
slip to the floor beside me, and embrace my knees and lay her head on my
lap. 'I was going away, Fraeulein Rosamond,' she whispered; 'why did you
come after me?'

"They were only a few simple words, but such a persuasive truth lay in
them that my anger vanished almost instantly. A feeling of deep sympathy
pulled at my heart, and sent a flood of tears to my eyes.

"What avail the arduously established limits of human law and order,
even though uprightly preserved for centuries long, against the storm of
a first passion? A single instant--the proud structure lies in ruins,
and the crimson banner of love waves victoriously over all
considerations, over all reflections.

"I felt Susanna's hot lips on my hand; they burned me like glowing iron.
I did not draw away my hand, but left it to her, without pressure,
without a sign that I understood her. Before my eyes hovered the image
of Anna Maria. 'Oh, Anna Maria, I could not prevent its happening thus!'

"And now the carriage rolled under our gateway, rattled over the paved
court, and stopped before the steps. I saw Klaus swing himself down from
the box, and saw Anna Maria, in the light of the lantern, standing in
the vaulted door-way. Klaus opened the carriage-door; Susanna first
raised herself up now, and he carried her like a child up the steps,
past Anna Maria, into the house. They had forgotten me; the lame old
aunt clambered out of the carriage with Brockelmann's help, and on
entering the sitting-room I found Anna Maria and Susanna alone--Susanna,
with a feverish glow on her cheeks, in Klaus's arm-chair, Anna Maria
standing before her wit