"'Has Isa gone?' I asked her.
"She nodded. 'She went half an hour ago.'
"'Just where does she live?' I inquired.
"'In Dambitz,' was the reply.
"I let my work drop from astonishment. 'In Dambitz? How did she happen to go to Dambitz?'
"'S—— was too far away, Fräulein Rosamond,' stammered Susanna shyly, 'and so she has hired a little room there at the blacksmith's. But she says she does not notice the noise of the forge at all; her windows look out on the castle garden, and that is wonderful, she says. She may live there, may she not?' she added, beseechingly; 'it is certainly far enough from here.'
"'Of course she can live where she pleases, Susanna,' said I; 'we have no right to lay down commands about that.'
"Meanwhile Brockelmann had set the table for supper on the terrace, and we seated ourselves. Candles were now burning on the table, and their unsteady, flickering light fell on Susanna's beautiful pale face. Her white dress was made quite fresh again, and even the withered roses were replaced by fresh ones; one could see that the old Isabella had been helping the child.
"Susanna was seated between Klaus and me, Stürmer and Anna Maria opposite. There was a strawberry bowle on the table, and Susanna drank eagerly; gradually color came into her cheeks, and her dark eyes began to shine. And then all at once she was in her element—laughing, jesting, and mirth. And how she could laugh! I have never heard such a laugh as Susanna Mattoni's. It ran the whole compass of the scale, so light and delicious that one was forced to join in it; and as she laughed, her red mouth displayed the prettiest white teeth, and prattled mere nonsense and follies, and as she held high her glass to touch with Stürmer, I saw Klaus look at her with an expression that spoke even more plainly than his trembling voice yesterday.
"Anna Maria sat silent opposite her, and not the faintest smile passed over her lips; this graceful trifling was decidedly unpleasant to her. But Susanna had the majority on her side, for even honest old Pastor Grüne did not conceal the fact that he was fascinated by her.