hing head in order to
have any quiet.

"Klaus came up to me very soon; he sat down quietly by my bed and
pressed my hand.

"'You are glad to be at home again?' I asked kindly. 'How is your little
wife?'

"'Thank you,' he replied, 'she is asleep now. I do not know; I must
accustom myself to it first; it has been made so different, so strange,
with all these alterations. And then'--he was silent--'one misses Anna
Maria everywhere,' he added.

"'You incorrigible people, you!' I scolded vexatiously, 'Bend or break,
but not yield, and then perish with longing for each other! A silly,
stupid set you are!'

"He made no reply to that. 'After three months in the country,' said
he, 'I will go and get her. Now it is better that Susanna should remain
alone.'

"'You have been living very happily there?' I asked.

"'Oh, Heaven, yes!' he replied. 'The gay life was new to Susanna, and
amused her delightfully. Thank God that we are here! How do you really
like the rooms down-stairs?'

"'Well, they are very beautiful, Klaus, without doubt. But if I am to be
honest, it was more comfortable before.'

"'Susanna is quite enchanted with them,' he continued. 'But I had a
melancholy feeling when I found the sitting-room without the old stove,
the great writing-desk, and Anna Maria's spinning-wheel. I really cannot
sit in these spider-legged easy-chairs without fear of breaking down.'
He laughed, but it had not a hearty sound.

"'Shall you be able to eat supper with us?' he asked.

"I promised to do so if I were well enough. If you will let me sleep a
little longer now, Klaus, I shall be able to come down.' And then he
went away.

"Toward evening I was awakened from a light slumber by the ringing of
bells again; again I heard doors shutting, and footsteps of people
hurrying to and fro. At the first instant I thought of an accident, but
then recollected that it had been just so in the afternoon, and made my
toilet and went down.

"The first person to step up to me was Mademoiselle Isa. She greeted me
very warmly, and with a certain pretentiousness. 'The gracious Frau had
drunk a cup of chocolate and was quite well,' she added, as she opened
the door of the former sitting-room, which was agreeably lighted by two
lamps, and pointed to the drawn-back portiere: 'The gracious Frau is in
her boudoir.'

"Indeed, I was curious to see Susanna again as 'gracious Frau,' and
limped quickly across to the little room. The soft carpet had de