A hasty step came down the narrow path that led to the giant's grave.
"Thank God! I was coming to meet you, dear madam--I think--I know you are not like other ladies--"
"He is dead!" cried Cecilia.
"I fear we shall not find him alive, though he had strength enough to send me back. I did not like to leave him, but he was so very, very anxious to see you, to see you both."
They ran up the path through the underbrush, over the hill, to the giant's grave, whose huge mass stood forth in dark relief against the bright western sky.
The old man was sitting on a moss-covered stone, with his back resting against one of the larger blocks, his hands lying in his lap, and an expression of the most profound peace on his pale, venerable face, gazing silently towards the west, from whence brilliant sunset hues streamed over fields, forest, moorland, and sea. Cecilia sank upon the broom at his feet, pressing her lips to his cold hand.
At the touch, a slight shiver ran through the limbs of the dying man. His glance turned slowly away from the distant sky, and rested upon the beautiful, pale, tear-wet face before him. A happy smile gleamed over his features. "Ulrica," he whispered. The name fell from the white lips softly, almost inaudibly, and then lips and eyelids closed.
Cecilia's head sank upon Gotthold's breast; the Prince, who during the whole scene had discreetly remained at a distance, turned away, and gazed steadily at the golden sunset.
And the golden hues of sunset glowed upon fields and woods, and the churchyard of Rammin, in which the old man had just been laid to rest with his children and children's children. Only a small, very small company had stood around the grave when the coffin was lowered, and they had needed no priest to consecrate the place which would henceforth be sacred to them. Then Frau Wollnow embraced Cecilia, and whispered: "Don't allow yourself to be disconcerted by any narrow-minded creature you may meet," and Cecilia answered: "Have no fear, I know what I am doing." Then Ottilie kissed Gretchen; the Prince and Herr Wollnow took leave of Cecilia with a few cordial words, and the Prince's light carriage rolled towards his castle, and the Wollnow's heavy equipage along the road to Prora.
At the other end of the village, where the road leads to Neuenfähr and Sundin, stood a travelling carriage, and they now walked silently through the little hamlet, arm-in-arm; while the child ran before them, and snatched at the swallows when they came too near.