"'Why have I come?' said Anna Maria, bitterly.
"Klaus walked up and down with long strides. 'Forgive her, Anna Maria,' he begged; 'she is still ill, still weak. I will speak quietly with her.'
"'No, Klaus,' replied the girl; 'wherefore? I will be no disturber of the peace. She is your wife, you are happy, and I—I will go away again.'
"'But this is your father-house! This is your home as well as mine!' he cried, irritated. 'By Heaven, I would never have believed that it was so hard for two women's hearts to agree!'
"Isa called him to Susanna. He went in; we heard him speak loud and vehemently, and then heard Susanna crying.
"'I shall go away again to-morrow, aunt,' said Anna Maria, and her pale face with the red eyes had the old stubborn expression. 'I did not come to make discord.' How I pitied the girl! I knew well how hard it had been for her to take the first step toward Susanna, what a struggle it had cost her proud heart, and yet she had done it for Klaus's sake, and for——
"Klaus returned, leading Susanna on his arm; he took her hand and placed it in Anna Maria's.
"'There now, be reconciled," he said, with a sigh. 'Give each other a kiss; there must be no more allusions to old tales. I forbid it herewith!'
"They did kiss each other, but their lips touched only lightly. We then sat down, and Klaus and I started a conversation with difficulty. Anna Maria talked about her convent, but after had to stop; it seemed all the time as if she were choking down the tears. Susanna spoke still less, and only answered when Anna Maria asked about the child, and upon a direct remark of Klaus. Brockelmann, who summoned us to the table, burst out with the question whether Anna Maria were to assume the direction of the housekeeping again.
"'I am not going to remain here,' she replied, smiling sadly.