"No, I thank you, Herr von Eschenhagen," she replied sharply. "You have probably heard what has been said in there and have also probably received a command to shun me. Why do you not obey?"
"My mother has done you wrong," Willibald said half aloud, "and she also spoke without the knowledge of the others. Toni does not know anything about it, believe me----"
"So you knew that and did not offer a word of contradiction!" the girl interrupted, scarlet with anger. "You listened to your mother insulting and offending a defenseless girl and did not have chivalry enough to oppose it! Oh, yes, you tried it, but were scolded and sent off like a schoolboy and--bore it meekly!"
Willibald stood there as if thunderstruck. He had, indeed, felt the injustice of his mother deeply, and wished to make it good to the best of his ability, and now he was treated like this! He stared at Marietta in deep perplexity, while she only grew angrier at his silence.
"And now you come and bring me flowers," she continued, with increasing passion, "secretly--behind your mother's back, and think that I will accept such an apology! You would better learn first how a man deports himself when he is witness to such injustice. But now--now I will show you what I think of your present and of you!"
She tore the paper with its contents out of his hand, threw it on the ground, and in the next second her little foot stamped upon the fragrant blossoms.
"My, Fraulein----" Willibald wavered between shame and indignation, but a stern glance from the hitherto saucy eyes silenced him, and the poor roses were finished by a push from the small foot.
"So--now we are at the end. If Toni really knows nothing of this affair I shall be sorry, but in spite of it I must remain away in the future, for I will not expose myself to fresh insults. May she be happy. I could not be in her place. I am a poor girl, but I would not accept a man who is still afraid of his mother's switch--no, not if he were ten times lord of Burgsdorf!"
With which she disappeared, and left the poor lord standing alone.
"Willy, what does this mean?" demanded the voice of Frau von Eschenhagen, who appeared in the door. As no reply came, she approached her son with threatening mien.