scenes between us. But my decision stands
irrevocably firm. I love Susanna, and God will help us over the
near future, and not separate the hearts of brother and sister,
who have so long clung to one another in true love. I shall
come as soon as I have news; the longing takes hold of me more
than I can tell.'

"I let the sheet drop, the letters danced before my eyes. How should I
begin to make this news known to her?

"As I rose hastily, the letter fell at Anna Maria's feet. She raised her
head and looked searchingly at me, and saw that I was making a great
effort to compose myself.

"'Aunt Rosamond!' she cried, stooping and picking up the letter, 'what
is it? Bad news from Klaus? Please, speak!' She knelt by my chair, and
her anxious eyes tried to read my face.

"'No, no, my child!' I caught hold of the letter which she held in her
hand.

"'It is certainly to me!' she cried, quickly taking it back.

"All at once I became master of my trembling nerves. 'It is to you, Anna
Maria,' I agreed, 'and contains----'

"'I will see for myself, aunt,' she said, and there was a tone of
infinite anxiety in her voice. She rose and sat down in one of the deep
window-niches of the hall. I could not see her face from my seat; I
heard only the rattling of the paper in the stillness, and my heart
thumped as if it would burst. The anxious pause seemed to me an
eternity; then a cry of pain sounded through the room. I sprang toward
Anna Maria; her fair head lay on the window-seat, her face was buried in
her hands, and an almost unearthly groaning was wrung from her breast.

"'For God's sake, Anna Maria!' I cried, embracing her. 'Compose
yourself, be calm; you do him injustice; he is not lying on his bier!'
But she did not stir; she groaned as if suffering from severe physical
pain.

"'Anna Maria, my dear Anna Maria!' I cried, weeping.

"'For that, ah, for that, all that I have suffered!' she cried out, and
raised her pale face, transfixed with pain. She stretched up her arms,
and wrung her clasped hands. 'My only brother!' she whispered, 'my only
brother!' Then, springing up impetuously, she ran out.

"As if stunned, I remained behind; I had not expected this; for such an
expression of pain I was not prepared.

"And the old house was still; my steps creaked on the cement floor of
the corridor before Anna Maria's room, and a long, long time I stood
there and listened for a sound, but it remained quiet b