"Heaven!" shrieked the mother, "she has lost her senses! An evil spirit
speaks out of her."

Dorothea bethought herself again; she saw the astonishment of those
around her, and endeavoured to collect herself. "I am so shaken," she
began, "I feel myself so agitated, perhaps indisposition--I will just
cool myself a moment in the open air."

"In this weather?" said the mother, "in this storm and rain, so without
a handkerchief, in your thin dress?"

"I must, I must!" she exclaimed, and without listening to
remonstrances, she had already opened the parlour door, and was
standing in the dark cold garden. As the rain beat against her, she
turned into the walk which was covered by closely interwoven boughs,
and walked hastily up and down. "To him, that loathsome being," said
she to herself, "united for ever? So deeply, so deeply degraded? And
for whom? For those, who will never thank me for it, who will
afterwards make it appear as if it was the greatest of benefits that
had been conferred on myself? Save my soul? That here is lost, utterly
ruined!"

A dark shadow came up to her, and by the lisping soft voice she
immediately recognized the Baron. "My sweet girl," he began, "your dear
mother, and all of us, are expecting you indoors with anxious
apprehension; my heart is overflowing with tenderness, for I already
consider you as my wife, and the mother of my pious children."

"Heaven!" she exclaimed, "that I never thought of, that my misery may
extend so far, as to see hypocrites and selfish wretches spring out of
my blood. But though I had not that calamity to fear, still I could
never be yours."

"How?" cried the Baron, "and the solemn promise, which you this morning
pronounced to your mother?"

"Though I had made it to an angel of heaven," said Dorothea, "still I
cannot keep it! Nay, even had the wedding taken place, we must have
been parted again!"

"Strange, young lady! Do you reflect on the consequences?"

"What can they be? Any thing may be endured in comparison with that
abyss of misery which awaits me."

"Are you aware too that your mother has a right to require it? Are you
aware, that she is under engagements to me, which till now I bore and
kept secret with the patience of love, in the hope of belonging to your
family? Ask yourself, whether under these circumstances you are not
bound, as a good daughter, to discharge your mother's engagements?"

"No!" cried she in the greatest excitement, "rather pine