"'Why, Susanna, are you not happy?' I asked. No answer; she only clung more closely to me.
"'Have you thought that you have now a home and the heart of a noble man; that you are his bride-elect, loved beyond everything?'
"She gave a shiver, and stopped crying.
"'Come, Susanna,' I begged, kindly; 'you belong to us now; you have now a family home and I am now your aunt,' I added, jokingly. 'Stop crying. Come, let us go down to Anna Maria; you have not said a friendly word to her yet.'
"She threw her head back, and seemed to be deliberating for a moment; then she ran out. I heard her swiftly retreating steps in the corridor. 'I will seek Anna Maria, at least to learn what has passed,' I murmured, arid turned at once to the garden. So it had come about. Klaus was betrothed; how often I had imagined it formerly. And to-day? A sort of film came over my eyes, and the grayest of gray seemed the world round about.
"Anna Maria was standing by the little pond, looking into the brown water; she gave me her hand, quietly and kindly.
"'My dear Anna Maria,' said I, 'God leads human hearts together.'
"She nodded mutely.
"'Shall you write Klaus?' I continued.
"'It is already done. I wrote on that night,' she replied.