When she had taken off her travelling cloak I found she was dressed entirely in blue. Once that had been my mother's favorite color; father too had been exceedingly fond of it. She stood at mother's side and whispered something into her ear, at which mother raised her head and, like one who returns from the other world, sighed deeply, seemed to come to herself, and said with a peaceful smile, turning to the host and hostess:
"Pardon me, I was exceedingly abstracted." Merely to hear her speak agonized me greatly. Then she turned to Fanny, embraced her, kissed her forehead twice, and said to the Fromms,
"You will agree, will you not, to Fanny's staying a little longer with me? She is already like a child of my own."
I was no longer jealous of Fanny. I saw how happy she made mother, if she could embrace her.
Fanny again whispered something in mother's ear, at which mother rose, and seemed quite herself again: she approached Mrs. Fromm resolutely, with no faltering steps, and grasping both her hands, said, "I thank you," and once again repeated whisperingly, "I thank you."
All this I regarded speechlessly from a corner. I feared my mother's gaze inexpressibly.
Then grandmother interrupted,
"We have no time to lose, my daughter. If you are capable of coming at once, come."
Mother nodded assent with her head, and gazed continually upon Fanny.
"Meanwhile Fanny remains here," added grandmother. "But Desiderius comes with us."