"Happy journey, Oldenburg!"
The baron went slowly towards the door; there he stopped, and came back once more to say:
"Have you always been convinced that I was your friend, Melitta?"
"Yes."
"Have you always been convinced that I loved you?"
Melitta was silent.
"No? Never, at any time?" asked the baron, in a low voice.
"Let us bury the past!"
"No, Melitta, let us speak of it. I may not find another such opportunity in my life. No, no! For our old friendship, or whatever you call it, is dead, since I was fool enough to let you see that I loved you--and there is no bridge to span that abyss. For the moment we are united by common distress; as soon as I leave this room we shall be strangers again to each other. Melitta, by our former friendship, by the memory of our common youth and its happiness, tell me, did you never believe that I loved you?"
"I do not know----"