He folded his arms and stood still, leaning against a window-frame, whilst he said briefly: "You see I am ready to listen."
"The young girl," she began, with a hesitation which was the result less of her own internal agitation than of her brother's icy demeanour, "the young girl whom Emil has selected is poor."
"Very disinterested on his part; proceed."
"Emil's income is not large."
"The poor man has only ten thousand a year; starvation in his case seems unavoidable."
She paused, evidently surprised. Her brother never exaggerated; the sum, then, which he had mentioned, must be correct to a farthing.
"Well, he may be wealthier than I thought," she went on after a short pause; "that is not the question at present; his choice is a girl who is very dear to me, very dear." What effort this cost her! "She has done what must forever fill my sisterly heart with gratitude." Herr von Walde unfolded his arms, and drummed with such force upon the window-pane with the fingers of his left hand, that Helene thought the glass would be broken.
"She will be as a sister to me," she continued, "and I do not wish that she should come into Hollfeld's house without a dowry. I desire to make over to her the rents of Neuborn. May I?"
"The estate belongs to you,—you are of age. I have no right either to consent or refuse."
"Oh yes, Rudolph, you are my next of kin, and should inherit all that I have. Then I may be sure of your consent?"