--

"Good-night, Manna."

Manna had heard the good-bye, she had slipped into the park, taken a
farewell look at the departing visitors, and then went quietly into the
chapel.

As they reached the shore, they heard the choir of girls' voices
singing with clear tone at the convent.

"This may sound very fine to him who has no child joining in it," said
Sonnenkamp to himself.

In the large inn there was hurrying and commotion, as if a prince had
arrived with his suite, for Sonnenkamp was fond of making a display of
his wealth. The large garden was festively illuminated, this party of
travellers was served with special consideration, and every other
arrival, on this evening, hardly received any attention. When all was
still, a boat, in which Pranken sat, rowed over to the convent. He
landed on the island, and heard the music of a harp from an open
window. That came from Manna, he was sure. Soon a light was visible in
a cell, here and there, windows were opened, the heads of girls
appeared and looked out once more into the night; then the windows were
closed, the lights extinguished, and the harp-playing ceased.

Pranken saw the church open, and entering, he knelt down and prayed
silently. Then he heard a light step, and a sound, as if some one knelt
down before the altar; a thrill passed over him, and yet he did not
look up, and if he had, he could not have recognized any thing in the
darkness lighted only by the solitary, ever-burning lamp. The form
arose, and went towards the open church door. The moon cast a broad
beam as far as the middle aisle of the church; now, as the form stood
in the doorway, Pranken approached and said,--

"Fraeulein Manna, a friend. Fear not, a man, who through you has known
salvation, stands before you. I have not come to shake your holy
resolve, I have only come to tell you what I have become by your
instrumentality. No, I cannot tell you--but you ought to know this,--if
you take the veil, then I also will renounce the world; apart from each
other, so long as we live on this earth, we will live for heaven.
Farewell, a thousand times farewell, thou pure, thou blessed one!
farewell!"

The young man and the maiden looked upon each other as if they were no
longer living creatures of human passions, as if they were transported
above the world. Manna could not utter a single word; she simply dipped
her hand into the vessel of holy water, and sprinkled Pranken's face
three times.

With ha