hey dimmed
by tears of joy? Now I heard a light rustle behind me, and, looking
around, I saw Susanna. She had laid aside her widow's dress, and had a
white rose in her hair. The tears of a few minutes ago were dried.

"I took her by the hand and pointed mutely to the two under the linden.
She looked over in surprise. 'Anna Maria?' she asked softly.

"'And Edwin Stuermer!' I added. She did not answer. But she had grown
pale, and looked at them fixedly.

"'They have long loved each other, Susanna,' said I, gravely; 'even
before you ever came here. But Anna Maria once refused his
proposal'--Susanna's eyes were fixed on my lips--'_because she would not
forsake her only brother!_'

"The young wife was silent; but, as Anna Maria and Stuermer now turned in
the direction of the house, she turned and went in. Now they came
walking up the middle path. And when they stood before me, I saw a
happy light in Anna Maria's eyes which I had never seen shine before.
She bent over to me and kissed my hand.

"'She has made it very hard for me, has Anna Maria,' said Edwin Stuermer,
drawing the girl to him. 'She tried to put on her icy mask again; she
could not go away from Susanna and the child. But this time I was too
quickly at hand. Was I not, my Anna Maria?'

"Very early the next morning I heard a carriage roll away from the
court. I rang for Brockelmann. 'The gracious Frau has gone away with
Isa; and has left a letter for Anna Maria down-stairs on the table.'

"'Have you delivered it yet?' I asked.

"The old woman nodded. 'There is some secret about it,' she said sadly;
'Isa was altogether too important.'

"Anna Maria came, very much surprised, with the open letter.

"'I don't understand it, aunt. Susanna has a rendezvous in Berlin with
an acquaintance from Nice?'

"I shrugged my shoulders.

"'She is angry with me,' she whispered, with pale lips. 'She did love
him, aunt; it is horrible!'

"'No, no, my child,' I tried to calm her, 'no, do not believe that.' But
she made an averting gesture, and left me with tears in her eyes.
Already a shadow lay over her happiness. Reluctantly I followed her
down-stairs, and then went, almost aimlessly, into Susanna's room. Here
all was topsy-turvy, just as occasionally in former times. In the haste
of departure all sorts of things had been left lying about, on every
chair some article of clothing, fans, ribbons, strips of black crape,
and books, and in the fire-place was still a little