He had been anxious about the boy's heart ever
since he had had scarlet fever, and had not concealed his fears. All
the same, he had not thought matters would get worse so quickly. The
boy had lived too gay a life.

"Serious organic defect of the heart"--that was like a sentence of
death. Wolfgang laid down his arms. All at once he felt he had no
longer the strength to fight against those attacks in the night. What
he had fought out all alone in his bed, even without lighting his
candle, before he knew that, now drove him to his feet. It drove him to
the window--he tore it open--drove him round the room, until he at
last, completely exhausted, found rest in the arm-chair. It drove him
even to knock at his parents' door: "Are you asleep? I am so
frightened. Sit up with me."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

They had had bad nights for weeks. Wolfgang had suffered and his mother
with him. How could she sleep when she knew that somebody in
the next room was in torture?

Now he was better again. Their old friend's medicines had had a good
effect, and Wolfgang had gone through a regular cure: baths, friction,
massage, special diet. Now they could be quite satisfied with the
result. It was especially the strictly regular life that had done him
good; his weight had increased, his eyes were brighter, his complexion
fresher. They were all full of hope--all except one. That one had no
wish to live any longer.

The month of April was raw and stormy, quite exceptionally cold. It
was impossible for the convalescent to be as much in the open air as
was desirable, especially as any exercise that would warm him, such as
tennis, cycling, riding, was still too tiring for him. The doctor
proposed to send him to the Riviera. Even if there were only a few
weeks left before it would be too hot there, that would suffice.

His father was at once willing for the young fellow to go. If it
would do him good of course he must go. Kate offered to accompany
him.

"But why, my dear lady? The youngster can quite well go alone," the
doctor assured her.

However, she insisted on it, she would go with him. It was not
because she still feared she might lose him; it was her duty to do so,
she must accompany him even if she had not wished to. And at the same
time a faint desire began to stir in her, too, unknown to herself. She
was so well acquainted with the south--should they go to Sestri, for
example? She looked in