."

Walpurga wept at the remembrance of her mother. Gunther seated himself
and asked:

"What is it you want?"

"How? What?" asked Walpurga, quickly, drying her tears. "And you never
once ask how it fares with me?"

"You're prosperous and have changed but little."

"May I sit down?" asked Walpurga, in an anxious voice. This cold
reception from one who had always been so kind to her, affected her so
deeply that she could scarcely stand. She looked about her as if
bewildered, and at last said:

"And is there nothing more you want to ask me? Where I live and how my
husband and children are?"

"Walpurga," said Gunther, rising from his seat, "lay aside your old
acting."

"What? acting? I don't know what you mean! What have I to do with
acting?"

"That does not concern us now. Did you want to ask me anything? or have
you anything to tell me?"

"To be sure; that's just why I came."

"What is it?"

"Yes; but you seem so strange that my thoughts are quite mixed up.
Hansei doesn't know that I've come here, and not another soul in the
world is to know about it but yourself. I can keep a secret; I have
kept one. I can be trusted."

"I know it," said the physician, in a hard voice.

"You know it? How? You can't know it, and I shan't tell you all of it,
either. I might have told you, but after such a reception, I can't."

"Do as you please; speak or be silent; but cut it short, for I have
very little time."

"Then I'd rather come some other time."

"I can't receive you for mere talk. Tell me now what you have to say."

"Well then. Doctor--Oh, dear me, to think that you don't even shake
hands with me. I can't get over it. But I see, that's the way it is
with great folk; it's all the same--thank God, I know where I'm at
home!"

"Cease your empty talk!" said Gunther, interrupting her still more
sharply. "What have you to tell me? Can I help you in any way?"

"Me? Thank God, nothing ails me. I only wanted to say that
under-forester Steingassinger lives out on the dairy-farm, and that his
wife is my friend and companion, Stasi. Early last winter, she told me
that the king was coming here this summer, and all I wanted to say was
that if he cares to pay me a visit at the freehold, he's quite welcome.
I might have said something more, but I see I'd better not. I'd rather
not break an oath."

Gunther nodded.

"If the king wishes to pay you a visit, I will tell him what you have
said."

"And isn't our dear, goo