"Dead then, dead!"
Kätchen nodded her head; Blanden sobbed, burying his face in his hands.
Then she flung herself down before him, clung to his knees, kissed his hands.
Like a flash of lightning, a fearful thought passed through Blanden's mind.
"Murderess!" cried he, "you have murdered her; you have hurled her into the sea!"
Kätchen was mute. No change was apparent in her features. It seemed as though she looked up at him with a triumphant smile.
"Misery of miseries!" cried Blanden, wringing his hands; "the victim of an idiot's passion! Yes, Wegen, this creature, this half-human being, this female Caliban loves me; she has pursued me with her passion even into the Forester's house; I found her several times beneath my windows; she cherished a moody, dull hatred for Eva! Heavens! Why did I not warn her! It is horrible--the girl has killed her!"
Wegen seized the girl with all the energy of a gens d'arme.
"She must be arrested--she must give information."
Unconcernedly Kätchen allowed all to pass over her; she replied to no questions. Her frog-like eyes only rested upon Blanden with an expression of silent beatitude.