lm. Then she turned quickly away, and Reinhard heard
her go sobbing up the stairs.

He would fain have detained her, but he changed his mind and remained
at the foot of the stairs. The beggar girl was still standing at the
doorway, motionless, and holding in her hand the money she had
received.

"What more do you want?" asked Reinhard.

She gave a sudden start: "I want nothing more," she said; then,
turning her head toward him and staring at him with wild eyes, she
passed slowly out of the door. He uttered a name, but she heard him
not; with drooping head, with arms folded over her breast, she walked
down across the farmyard:

Then when death shall claim me,
I must die alone.

An old song surged in Reinhard's ears, he gasped for breath; a little
while only, and then he turned away and went up to his chamber.

He sat down to work, but his thoughts were far afield. After an hour's
vain attempt he descended to the parlour. Nobody was in it, only cool,
green twilight; on Elisabeth's work-table lay a red ribbon which she
had worn round her neck during the afternoon. He took it up in his
hand, but it hurt him, and he laid it down again.

He could find no rest. He walked down to the lake and untied the boat.
He rowed over the water and trod once again all the paths which he and
Elisabeth had paced together but a short hour ago. When he got back
home it was dark. At the farm he met the coachman, who was about to
turn the carriage horses out into the pasture; the travellers had just
returned.

As he came into the entrance hall he heard Eric pacing up and down the
garden-room. He did not go in to him; he stood still for a moment, and
then softly climbed the stairs and so to his own room. Here he sat in
the arm-chair by the window. He made himself believe that he was
listening to the nightingale's throbbing music in the garden hedges
below, but what he heard was the throbbing of his own heart.
Downstairs in the house every one went to bed, the night-hours passed,
but he paid no heed.

For hours he sat thus, till at last he rose and leaned out of the open
window. The dew was dripping among the leaves, the nightingale had
ceased to trill. By degrees the deep blue of the darksome sky was
chased away by a faint yellow gleam that came from the east; a fresh
wind rose and brushed Reinhard's heated brow; the early lark soared
triumphant up into the sky.

Reinhard suddenly turned and stepped up to the table. He gr