"Where is my husband?" asked Ilse, of her maid.
"The Professor has gone to her Highness, the Princess."
"Call Gabriel."
"He has received bad news, and is sitting in his room."
Immediately afterwards Gabriel entered, with a distressed countenance.
"What has happened?" asked Ilse, alarmed.
"It is my own affair only," replied Gabriel, with quivering voice; "it is no good news that this letter has brought to me."
He took out of his pocket Hummel's crumpled letter, and turning away, leaned his head against the window-sill.
"Poor Gabriel!" exclaimed Ilse. "But there may still be some explanation to justify the girl."
"I thank you for your confidence in her, Mrs. Werner," replied Gabriel, solemnly, "but this letter informs me of my misfortune. He who has written to me is true as gold. But I knew all, before I had received it. She did not answer my last letter; she has not sent me the pocket-book; and yesterday evening, when I went out and was thinking of her, a lark flew towards me and sang a song that made me certain of it."