h a cup of hot tea.

"Not a question, not a reproach passed her lips; she silently offered
the warming drink, and Susanna silently refused it. 'You must go to bed,
Susanna,' she then said. The girl rose and took a step or two, but
tottered, and held on to her chair. 'Put your arms around my neck,
Susanna!' Anna Maria cried, and in a moment had raised her in her strong
arms, and went toward the door as if she were carrying a feather.
Brockelmann followed; I heard her muttering away to herself, 'That caps
the climax!'

"Utterly exhausted, I sank into my chair. What was to be done now? God
grant that Klaus and Anna Maria might not see each other again this
evening, only this evening!

"Half an hour had passed when I heard Anna Maria's step in the hall; the
door was wide open, and I could distinctly see her tall figure approach,
in the faint light of the hall-lamp. She stopped at Klaus's door and
knocked. I leaned forward to listen; all was still. 'Klaus!' I heard her
say. No answer. Again I thought I detected a suppressed sob in her
voice. 'Klaus!' she repeated once more, imploringly, pressing on the
latch. She waited a minute or two, then turned away and went up-stairs
again.

"'He is angry with her,' I murmured, half aloud, 'and she wants to
conciliate him. My God, turn everything to good!' I put out the lights
in the sitting-room and went over to Klaus's door and listened. Regular
and heavy came the sound of his steps; he was there, then! 'Klaus!' I
called, with an energy which frightened myself. The steps came nearer at
once, the key was turned, and he opened the door directly.

"'Come in, aunt,' he bade me. I looked at him in alarm, he looked so
pale, so exhausted. His hand seized mine. 'It is well that you are
looking after me, aunt; something has come over me, I know not how.'

"'And now, Klaus?' I asked, letting him lead me to the sofa, which had
descended from my father and still stood on the same spot as of old,
under a collection of about fifty deers' antlers, all of which had been
taken on the Buetze hunting-grounds, and had decorated that wall as far
back as I could remember.

"He had stopped in front of me. 'And now?' he repeated, passing his hand
over his forehead. 'It is a strange question, _au fond_, aunt--Susanna
will be my wife. I can give you no other answer.'

"It was out! I had long known that it must come, and yet it fell on me
like a blow.

"'Klaus,' I began. But he interrupted me impatie