ion that dwelt in the delicate woman broke
forth in its full force. She screamed, she fell at the doctor's feet; he
should not let Klaus die, she could not live without him! She wrung her
hands and began to sob, but not a tear flowed from her great eyes. She
sprang up and threw herself upon the cradle of the child, whose
frightened crying mingled with a terrible sound with her sorrowful
laments: 'I will not live if Klaus dies, I will not!'

"'Calm yourself, gracious Frau,' bade the doctor, much shaken; 'think of
the child, take care of yourself.'

"'I made him ill,' screamed the young wife. 'I sent him to the city in
the rain, in spite of his feeling poorly then; I am guilty of my
husband's death!' The lace on her morning dress tore under her
convulsively trembling hands; she ran up and down the room, accusing
God and demanding death. Silently Isa took the cradle with the child and
carried it into another room. Meanwhile Dr. Reuter had poured a few
drops of a sedative into a spoon and begged the young wife to take it.

"She pushed the medicine out of his hand. 'I will not!' she cried,
sobbing. 'If you knew anything you would have saved Klaus! Oh, if I had
only taken care of him! But you did not let me go to his bed once, and
now he is dying!'

"'Susanna, control yourself,' said I, severely, as the doctor shrugged
his shoulders. 'Is this proper behavior in the hour in which a human
life is making its last hard struggle? Surely there should be peace,' I
added, weeping.

"She grew silent, not at my words, but at the entrance of Anna Maria.

"'Come, Susanna,' said she, in a lifeless tone, 'let us go to Klaus.
Before the last parting, the doctor has told me, there sometimes returns
a clear moment. His last look will seek you, Susanna, he has loved you
so much.'

"The young wife let herself be led away without resistance, but her face
had grown deathly pale. When they reached the door, she tore her hands
impetuously away from Anna Maria's. 'I cannot!' she cried, shuddering,
and turning her terrified eyes toward us; 'I cannot see him die, I
cannot!'

"Anna Maria looked sadly at the young creature, who was now on her knees
before her, beginning afresh her despairing lamentations. Then she
silently turned away and went back to Klaus. We carried the young wife
to the sofa, and Dr. Reuter busied himself with Isa about her.

"I started to go into the death-chamber, and Edwin Stuermer followed me.
In going out he cast a p