"Is that right?" He nodded. "Am I to send him this!"
"In my name." She turned from him, and, with a modelling-tool in her hand, went up to her work. Her father folded the letter and went towards the door. There he remained standing. She did not look up, but appeared quite absorbed in her work. His eyes rested on her with an expression of deep sorrow. "And yet!" murmured he, "and yet!" He closed the door behind him and walked slowly across the yard, through whose wide, empty space the storm was raging.
"Deserted and empty!" he murmured, "all deserted and empty. That is the burden of the song for her and me."
"Uncle!" He started from his gloomy musings. Reinhold came hurriedly from the house towards him--bareheaded and excited.
"Uncle, for heaven's sake!--the General has just left me. I know all--what have you decided?"
"What must be."
"It will be the death of Ferdinanda."
"Better death than a life of dishonour." He stepped past Reinhold into the house. Reinhold did not venture to follow him; he knew that it would be useless.