longer like herself. Did she rue her violence, or did
she fear seeing Klaus again? I knew not. She had not written to him. I
intended to do so in the beginning, but then gave it up; he _must_ come,
and the more time that elapsed, the calmer our hearts would be.

"Susanna sat by the window up-stairs, in her room, a white cloth bound
about her forehead, and her eyes, weary and red with weeping, looked out
upon the leafless garden. I had been to her room several times to speak
with her as forbearingly as possible. I wished to set before her her own
wrong, to tell her that a warm, almost idolatrous love for Klaus, and
the fear that he might not be happy, had driven Anna Maria to an
extreme. But here, too, I met with silent, obstinate resistance--that
is, I received no answer, only that Isabella said to me, with a sparkle
in her black eyes: 'She has been abused, and she has been pushed, my
poor child!' Whether or not Susanna had written to Klaus I did not
learn."

CHAPTER XVI.

"It was almost evening, on the 13th of November, as an extra post drove
quickly into the court. 'Another visit!' was my first thought, so many
people had been turned away in those days. 'You will fare no better,'
thought I; 'you will soon turn around and drive home.' But, no, the
carriage stopped, and a gentleman swung himself out. My heart stood
still from fear--Klaus! How came Klaus to-day?

"Should I hurry out to meet him? Prevent him from meeting Anna Maria?
Prepare him, forbearingly? But how? Could I speak of the conflict
without mortally wounding him? It was too late already; I heard his step
on the stairs; he was going up to Susanna first of all; he had probably
been told that she was up-stairs. I stepped into the hall quite
unconsciously, and at the same time Susanna's door opened, her light
figure appeared on the threshold, then she flew toward the man who was
standing there with outstretched arms. 'Klaus, Klaus! my dear Klaus!'
sounded in my ear, tender and exultant with joy. Oh, Anna Maria, if you
were to speak to him with the tongue of an angel it would avail you
nothing; it is too late!

"I saw Klaus press the slender figure to him, and saw her throw her arms
about his neck, and again and again put up her lips to be kissed; and I
heard her begin to sob, first gently, then more vehemently, and cry:
'Now all is well, all, now that you are here!' And she clung to him
like a hunted deer.

"I stepped back softly; I still saw ho