"Anna Maria sat by silently and looked at her plate. Then Isa brought in the child; Susanna was still eating. 'Oh, do give it to me,' begged Anna Maria, her eyes shining. She rose and went to the window, and scrutinized the little face.
"'He resembles our family, Klaus,' she said; 'he has your nose and your kind eyes.' And she kissed him tenderly.
"Isa had hurried out again. There was a great din in the usually quiet house; beating and brushing everywhere, and everything seemed to be turned upside-down. Klaus rose at length. 'Anna Maria,' he asked, going up to her, 'would you help me to go over some things in my books which it is necessary to attend to?'
"She looked up joyfully. 'Gladly,' she said, 'but must it be done to-day? You look so wretchedly.'
"'Yes,' he replied, 'I would like to put the matters in order; the headache will surely go away.' I took the child from Anna Maria, and the brother and sister went out.
"Klaus did not come to dinner; he had gone to lie down. When he appeared at coffee he looked red and heated. Anna Maria looked at him in concern. 'Only don't be ill, Klaus,' she said anxiously.
"He smiled. 'Perhaps the ride to the city will do me good.'
"'For Heaven's sake!' cried Anna Maria and I in one breath. 'You surely are not going to take that long ride?'
"'Oh, it will do no harm!' And he looked tenderly at Susanna, who lay on one of the low divans, playing with the bows of her dress. She made no reply; she did not say: 'If you have a headache, why stay; it is only a childish wish of mine.' She did not ask: 'Is it really so bad?' She was simply silent, and Klaus went to order his horse.
"'Susanna,' begged Anna Maria, very red, 'I think he really has a violent headache; do not let him go.' She spoke in real anxiety. Susanna stared at her coolly. 'He is his own master,' she replied, 'he can do as he pleases.'