lection,
much later; and then one thing after another came into my mind. At the
time I did not wonder at the rose-colored dress which Susanna wore, and
which was so charmingly suited to her transparent complexion; it did not
occur to me at all that she was still in mourning for her father, nor
did I think about her having been too indisposed to go to church in the
morning, and then, soon after, coming running from the garden, with rosy
cheeks. I thought nothing of it, that at the table--to-day there was a
long row of us, the clergyman and his sister, two bailiffs, three
farm-pupils, a forester, and Isabella (by way of exception)--she laughed
through the entire scale every minute, and carried on all manner of
nonsense.

"Anna Maria sat at the head, beside the clergyman, Susanna at her right,
and Stuermer next; I sat next to Pastor Gruene, and we formed the upper
end of the table. I could see that Anna Maria often looked gravely at
Susanna; yet a ray of pleasure broke from her eyes when they rested upon
this embodied rosebud, and saw how roguish were the dimples in her
cheeks, how her eyes shone, and her little teeth flashed behind the red
lips, and how she chattered all manner of pretty, foolish stuff.
Isabella's face shone with pride and she looked at the guests in turn;
almost every eye was fixed on the girl.

"Then Stuermer rose, and proposed the health of the master of the
house--'his best friend,' as he said--and 'the house that was as dear to
him as a paternal home.'

"And Anna Maria's face glowed as she raised her glass to touch with him.
But Susanna trembled, and put her glass down untouched; she grew pale
and quiet, and scarcely spoke again.

"Pastor Gruene raised a full glass to the lady of the house; 'the
mistress of Buetze,' he called Anna Maria. The old man was much moved as
he made mention of her youth and how serious and careful she was;
nevertheless, a Martha, who was never weary in working and doing. Anna
Maria let the current of his remarks pass her by, and quietly thanked
him as she raised her glass. All crowded about her to touch her glass,
last of all, Stuermer; she did not look at him as their glasses touched.
But Susanna fixed her eyes on Anna Maria with an expression of
astonishment; she had probably never reflected that there was anything
great about such activity. I noticed, too, that she shivered suddenly,
as if under a disagreeable impression.

"Then there came sounds of music through th