on her glowing face. Was it all only my fancy? Anna Maria so
quiet yonder, scarcely breathing after the quick dance; it was surely my
imagination that made me think Susanna ought to have looked a little
less enchanted, that she ought not to have danced, being betrothed to
another. Yes, indeed, I was carrying it too far. And with whom was she
dancing then? With Stuermer, with Klaus's best friend. Could there be any
danger in that now, when everything was plain between them?

"My thoughts went no farther, for just then the clear tone of a
post-horn rang out in the midst of the dance-music, a yellow coach
rattled into the court and stopped before the steps, and a man swung
himself out.

"'Klaus!' I cried out, and at the first moment would have gone to meet
him; then I thought of Susanna--he came on her account, of course; they
could not meet here, in the face of all these witnesses. I turned
hastily to lead Susanna through the park to the house.

"She was lying unconscious in Isa's arms. 'The dance, the fatal dance!'
lamented Isa; 'she cannot bear it!'

"Anna Maria, pale with fear, bent over her. 'Alas! just at this moment!
Aunt,' she whispered, 'go to Klaus, or I--no, you, I beg you.'

"I limped across the court as quickly as I could; he was already coming
toward me in the hall, his whole handsome face glowing with pleasure;
without further ado, he took me in his arms.

"'They are under the oaks, are they not?' he asked. 'I wanted to be here
to dinner, but these post-horses are miserable nags; they went like
snails.' And he took my hand and pressed it to his lips. 'Is she
not--Susanna--she----'

"'No, Klaus, they are no longer there. Wait a minute, come into your
room; Anna Maria will be here at once. The fact is, Susanna is not quite
well to-day; I would rather tell her first that you have come, so
unexpectedly.'

"I pushed him back into the sitting-room; Stuermer was just coming in
through the garden-parlor. A frightened look came over Klaus's face, but
the question died on his lips as Stuermer cordially held out both hands
to him, and then, turning to me, said: 'What is the matter with Fraeulein
Mattoni? Can it really be the effect of dancing? Only think, Klaus, a
moment ago she was rosy and happy, and just as you came rattling into
the yard, I saw her turn pale and totter, and before I knew what it
meant, her old duenna had caught her, and was lamenting, "That comes of
dancing!" Is that possible?'

"'Of co