"'Fräulein Mattoni, who is the woman?' said Anna Maria, turning to the young girl, who, it seemed to me, looked timidly at her companion. Susanna was silent too. There was no sound but that of the rain beating against the windows, and swaying the branches of the trees. Anna Maria waited quietly a few minutes.
"'I have been in Professor Mattoni's household since Susanna's birth,' the old woman now began, 'and——'
"'The child's nurse, then?' Anna Maria said, cutting off her speech. 'Very well, you may stay here twenty-four hours, and see how your demoiselle is provided for. Brockelmann,' she ordered the old woman, who, with a chambermaid, had just brought up a trunk that seemed as light as a feather, 'make up a bed in the gray room for the woman. And you, Susanna Mattoni, need to be alone after so long a journey. Make yourself comfortable till supper-time; punctually at seven, I shall expect you in the dining-room.' She took her basket of keys from the mantel, and noticing me, motioned to Susanna and introduced her to me as our future household companion. The little thing shyly kissed my hand, and as I raised her chin a little to look at her face again, I saw that tears were shining in the brown eyes. 'Heavens!' I thought as I went out, 'how will this little princess get on here in that gloomy room, in Anna Maria's chilling atmosphere?' I quietly patted the pale little cheek, and followed my niece. Outside in the corridor we met Klaus, dripping wet, having just dismounted from his horse.
"'And so she is really here, then, the new accession to the family?' he asked, giving himself a shake in his wet clothes. 'Well, what does she look like, the little Berliner?'
"I opened the door of my room, and the brother and sister entered.
"'You will see her, Klaus,' replied Anna Maria.
"'Right, little sister, that is true; I will change my clothes first of all.'
"'Yes, Klaus, but be quick: I would like to settle something with you before you see the young lady at table.'
"'Young lady? Whew!' rejoined the brother, and a disagreeable expression lay for a moment on his kind, handsome face. 'Do you wish me to put on a dress-coat, Anna Maria?' He laughed.
"'Well, you will open your eyes, too, Klauschen,' thought I; and all at once a thought came to me that fell like the weight of a mountain on my soul, whether it would not be better if this Susanna Mattoni, together with her black-eyed witch of a nurse, were a thousand miles away?