andolin was still at the spring, holding his hands
under its broad stream of water.

"How is it?" he asked, turning round.

"He is dead; he gives no sign of life," replied Anton.

Landolin shook the water from his hands fiercely, and shaking his head
slowly, said:

"You saw it, Anton? You had just come up. The stone didn't touch him;
he fell down at the sound of my voice."

Before Anton could reply, Landolin asked: "Was his mother at home?"

"Yes, she had just come in, and it was terrible when she threw herself
on her son's body and cried out: 'Vetturi! open your eyes, Vetturi!
Open your mouth, here is some brandy! Drink, do drink!'"

"I, too, must drink something," replied Landolin; and placing his lips
to the trough, he drank long. Indeed, it was plain that he purposely
allowed the water to splash into his face, and as he slowly wiped it
dry, he said:

"Go to Thoma, now! I'll soon follow you."

Anton obeyed. He found Thoma standing near the porch by the flowers,
picking off the dead leaves of the rosemary, the yellow jessamine, and
the carnations. She did not look round.

"Thoma, here I am; don't you see me?" cried he.

"Yes, I see you," answered Thoma. Her voice and her face, which she now
turned toward Anton, were changed; and her eyes, which before had been
so fearless, now wandered uneasily here and there.

"I see you," she continued, "I see the flowers, I see the trees and the
sky. Everything pretends to be alive, but everything is dead."

"Thoma, you are always so strong and resolute. Control yourself. I
know it is sad and distressing, but for the sake of a person who is
dead----"

"It is not only that a person has been killed; he, you, I, my father,
all, all have received a deathblow."

"Thoma, don't excite yourself so, you are always so sensible. You know
I have been in the war, and have seen many----"

"Yes, yes, it is true; you too have killed men. When he was still alive
you were so tender-hearted toward him, and now that he is dead you are
so hard. Say, am I still in my right mind?"

"You are, if you will only control yourself."

"I'll try, thank you. Do you think that my father, that any one of us,
can ever be happy again for a single minute?"

"Certainly! Your father has done nothing."

"Who then has? Is Vetturi not dead?"

"He is dead, but he was hurt by falling on the paving-stones. Yes, he
was."

"Anton!" cried Thoma, intensely excited, "Anton, you're not saying that
yours