, for God's sake, does this mean?' I asked again, oppressed.

"Brockelmann did not reply at once; she wanted to spread out the rug in
front of the great sofa. 'Go, Sophie, the fire is burning now;
Christopher may come in a quarter of an hour to light the candles.--They
will surely last,' she added, with a glance at the half-burned candles
in the chandelier and sconces.

"The girl went; the old woman stopped taking off the dust-covers. 'One
experiences a great deal when one is old and gray, and nowhere are there
stranger goings on than in this world!' said she, excitedly; 'but that
anything like this should happen! Do you know, Fraeulein, where he has
gone, the master, without even having said "Good-day" to his sister? To
Pastor Gruene. And there up-stairs sits the old Isa, and has cut bare the
little myrtle-tree which you gave to the--the strange young lady, so
that it looks like a rod to beat naughty children with. And the young
thing lies on the sofa, playing with her cat, and laughs out of her red
eyes, and she laughs with all her white teeth, because things have gone
so far at last. Gracious Fraeulein, they have wept and lamented. If the
master has lost his reason, I can understand it. Not an hour longer will
they stay here in the house, the little one cried, where they were
trodden under foot and scolded. And when the master sent for me he was
holding her in his arms, and looked as pale as the plaster on the walls.
I must put things in order here as well as possible, said he, but
quickly--in an hour, Fraeulein; there will be no more disturbance to be
made about it. And though the king himself were to come, in an hour they
will be man and wife.'

"'Is it possible?' I stammered. 'Anna Maria--' My head whirled about
like a mill-wheel. It was decided, then; Susanna was to be his wife!

"Klaus had been stirred up to the utmost extent; that his hasty decision
proved. Of what use would it be if I were to go now to Anna Maria and
say: 'Compose yourself, it is not to be altered now!' In her present
state of mind she would throw herself at his feet and accuse Susanna,
though he were already standing with her before the priest. In his
passion for this girl he would believe nothing of all this; he would
require proofs. And proofs? Who would accuse her of infidelity? How
could _she_ help it that Stuermer loved her? That she had wept and wrung
her hands, was that anything positive? That Stuermer fancied himself
loved by her,