Eric could not reconcile the contradiction: he comes from a death-bed into the very midst of jollity. He told Claus nothing of Clodwig's decease, and only begged to be allowed to ride on, and so left them.
He reached Villa Eden.
"Has Bella any female friend with her," the Professorin asked, as soon as she learned of Clodwig's death.
Eric said that she had not. It was painful to the Professorin that she could not render any assistance and consolation to Bella. Bella had triumphed in the fact, that, self-contained, she had been more feared than loved by women; and now, in her time of affliction, she had no one whose right and dutiful privilege it was to come to her, that she might lay her head, weighed down with sorrow and tears, upon a friendly bosom. But Aunt Claudine said to Eric,—
"When you drive to Wolfsgarten again, take me with you."
Manna begged Eric to rest; but Eric saw that there was no rest for him, for he received very soon a note from Bella by a messenger, in which were these words, written in great haste,—
"You must come immediately to bear witness for me. I am ruined and disgraced."
Eric drove to Wolfsgarten. Aunt Claudine accompanied him, and Professor Einsiedel had offered his services also; but the Mother and Manna urged him to remain with them. The Professor was a consolation and a quiet support for them at the Villa. Eric promised to return that night. What can have happened at Wolfsgarten in these few hours since Clodwig's death?
They came to Wolfsgarten. The servants stood around, and looked shyly at Eric; one of them saying,—Eric heard it very distinctly,—
"Who knows whether he has not helped do it?"