er
call anything in the world hers, for Susanna would take the child away
with her. I did not want to hear or see any longer. I took my shawl and
went into the garden.

"The first yellow leaf lay on the ground, a fine mist hung in the trees,
and the sun was going down crimson. I walked down the path to the little
fish-pond. I saw the decaying boat lying in the clear brown water, and
the reflection of the oaks. Then I suddenly stopped. I had recognized
Edwin Stuermer's voice. They must be standing close by me, behind the
thicket of barberry and snow-berry bushes.

"'No, no, I shall not let you again!' he said, strangely moved. I turned
to go. It seemed to me I must cry out from pain and indignation.

"I walked back quickly. I know not what impelled me to go first to the
child's bed, as if I must look in that little innocent face to still
believe in love and fidelity in the world. The little man was asleep,
the curtains were drawn, and the night-lamp already lighted. The door
leading to Susanna's room was just ajar. All at once I started up, for
the sound of Isa's voice came in to me and made my heart almost stop
beating.

"'It won't do to put off any longer, my lamb; if you have said A, you
must say B too. This is the third letter already, and you can't remain a
widow forever. Oh, don't make faces now; over there--that is nothing. If
I am not very much mistaken, he has turned about now, and--' She
probably made a sign, and then she laughed.

"Now I heard Susanna, too. 'My child!' she sobbed.

"'But, darling, do be reasonable. One can't take little children about
everywhere. What would you do with the rascal? Let him grow up on his
inheritance; few children have so good a one. You can see him at any
time, too, darling,' she continued, as Susanna kept on sobbing. 'You
will only have to come here. Oh, don't be so fearfully unreasonable;
have I ever given you any bad advice? Do you mean to live on here, under
the sceptre of your sister-in-law? I should laugh!' said she, after a
while, playing her last trump.

"Susanna's weeping suddenly ceased. 'I do not know yet,' she said
shortly.

"Then I roused myself from my numbness, and hurried through the
garden-parlor to the terrace. There they stood--yes, in truth, there
they stood--under the linden, Anna Maria and Stuermer, and looked over
toward Dambitz. The last ray of the setting sun tinged the evening sky
with such a red glow that I closed my eyes, dazzled; or were t