When everybody agreed with him, Kurt dashed towards the terrace where Loneli was just helping her grandmother carry away the dishes.
"We want to have Loneli with us, Apollonie. Please let her come with me," Kurt explained his errand.
"Who wants her, do you say?" Apollonie began rather severely, despite a glad note in her voice which could not be disguised.
"Everybody does, and Leonore especially," was Kurt's sly answer.
"You can go, Loneli," said the grandmother. "You must celebrate this great day with them."
Loneli actually glowed with joy when she ran off with Kurt.
As they were sitting under the pine tree, the Baron and Mrs. Maxa were reviving memories of long ago, and he listened with great emotion when Mrs. Maxa told him how faithfully his mother had tried to send him news. Her letters had, however, miscarried, because he had changed his residence so frequently. But he had wanted him to know how constant his mother's love had been and how anxiously she was waiting his return.
"Mrs. Maxa," he said after a little pause, "I feel terribly ashamed. I came here with anger and hate in my heart against God and man, and my only hope was to die as soon as possible. I expected to be forsaken and despised, and instead of that I meet only kindness and love on every side. I never deserved such a thing! Do you think I can ever atone for all the wrong I've done?"