at Susanna was very beautiful; she said that the girl's
father had been a most fatherly friend to her brother--but the way she
did it was strangely stiff and uncomfortable. They looked at her in
surprise and interchanged glances.

"Meanwhile the brisk housemaid brought the lamps and lighted the candles
on the old chandelier of antlers, and the outside blinds were closed
with a creak. Some of the guests rose; the ladies looked about for their
fur cloaks, the gentlemen took up their hats. I thanked God, for Anna
Maria's appearance frightened me. Then something unexpected happened,
something which caused me to drop back into my chair, quite
disconcerted. Brockelmann had suddenly opened the door, and there stood
one whom I had certainly not expected to see at that moment--Susanna!
Isabella's small figure was seen for an instant in the background, then
the door closed again.

"A pause ensued, all eyes being directed toward the young girl. She was
really embarrassed for a moment, and this gave her beauty an additional
bewitching charm. Like a shy, confused child she stood there, in the
little black lace-trimmed dress, which so peculiarly suited her, her
head somewhat bent, and the blush of embarrassment on her cheeks.

"It was an infinitely painful moment, for Anna Maria did not take a step
toward her. I saw how Susanna's beseeching eyes turned away at her fixed
look, which seemed to ask: 'What right have you to be here?' and here
her lips were firmly closed. It was only one moment; the next I was
standing by Susanna and introducing her as Fraeulein Mattoni, and
therewith the ice was broken. They crowded about her, shook hands with
her, and devoured her with admiring eyes. Her cheeks grew crimson, her
eyes shone, and not a trace of the morning's tears remained; the mouth
which had poured forth such fearful laments now smiled like a child's,
and Anna Maria stood alone yonder. God knows what pain she must have
felt!

"The guests sat down for another minute, out of respect to Susanna, and
after the storm of customary formalities had subsided, they spoke of
country life, wondering if a city girl could accustom herself to it.
They asked Susanna how the Mark pleased her, and at last the old wife of
General S----, whose estate touched Dambitz on the south, remarked:
'Tell me, Fraeulein von Hegewitz, is it true that Stuermer is going away
on a journey again?'

"She had turned to Anna Maria, who was sitting bolt upright beside he