When, therefore, my little Katrine came to me one evening in the orchard and told me, half laughing, half crying, that Ulrich Finazzer had that day asked her to be his wife, I was utterly taken by surprise.
"I never dreamed that he would think of me, dear," she said, with her head upon my bosom. "He is so much too good and too clever for such a foolish birdie as poor little Katrine."
"But—but my birdie loves him?" I said, kissing her bright hair.
She half lifted her head, half laughed through her tears, and said with some hesitation:—
"Oh, yes, I love him. I—I think I love him—and then I am quite sure he loves me, and that is more than enough."
"But, Katrine——"
She kissed me, to stop the words upon my lips.
"But you know quite well, dear, that I never could love any lover half as much as I love you; and he knows it, too, for I told him so just now, and now please don't look grave, for I want to be very happy to-night, and I can't bear it."
And I also wanted her to be very happy, so I said all the loving things I could think of, and when we went in to supper we found Ulrich Finazzer waiting for us.
"Dear Johanna," he said, taking me by both hands, "you are to be my sister now."