pping, commonplace figures
divested themselves of their outer garments at the door with much noise
and snorting. The stable-girl had to clean off their muddy boots, or,
in case they had brought another pair to change, take the wet ones away
to dry them at the stove.

Each one that came in seemed to make a great deal more noise than there
was any need of. To the young girl they all seemed like blustering
husbands; she too would rather have been alone with the Kirsten girls
and their friends. Today all these strange men oppressed her, each of
them coming with the hope of remaining at home there, master of all.
They seemed positively shameless to her. A heavy sadness came upon her.
She thought of her mother's marriage, of the quiet woman's hard-working
life, of her loneliness, of the indifference she had to bear, of the
warm, sorrowful embraces she had for her child.

"A pretty situation!" The young girl grew full of anger and disgust.
"Has one of these men who come here given me anything that I didn't
know all about? They are tiresome! If I were to take one of them, he'd
soon forget to notice that I was beautiful. What is there left, then?"

They played at forfeits, the restless, discontented thoughts of them
all making the very air of the room heavy. At supper, too, it was not
so lively as at other times. The hostess was silent, not beaming as
usual with the consciousness of her youth and beauty.

For the first time since she awoke to the carefree joy of budding
youth, the ball of crystal that was her soul seemed stained and
darkened; it no longer swam in the sunlight, shot through and through
by the rays.

About nine o'clock, when the rain was coming down in torrents, and it
had been proposed that the Kirsten girls should spend the night with
Beate, their three comrades and Frau Kummerfelden at the Sperbers',
while the suitors would have to accustom themselves gradually to the
idea of going out into the wind and wet, there came a loud ring at the
gate of the courtyard.

"For heaven's sake!" cried the Raven-mother. The rest sat in silent
wonder; their number was complete--who could it be?

"Perhaps it's another one coming over from the Sperbers'," said
Roese.

"Heaven forbid!" said Beate. She was thinking, "It will be no life at
all if I marry one of these--it would be a hopeless business." And she
felt again the strength of her longing, hungry young soul, which
yearned to grow and yet no one would give it its