A Sister's Love Part 26

"During the shouting I looked around for Susanna; she had disappeared.

There was not much time to reflect where she might be. Anna Maria now made the round of the tables; she had to have her health drunk, and drink in return. Sturmer accompanied her; it was a pretty sight to see them walking together across the court.

"On that day not the slightest thing escaped me, but now I cannot tell exactly what this and that one did; it only came to me upon reflection, much later; and then one thing after another came into my mind. At the time I did not wonder at the rose-colored dress which Susanna wore, and which was so charmingly suited to her transparent complexion; it did not occur to me at all that she was still in mourning for her father, nor did I think about her having been too indisposed to go to church in the morning, and then, soon after, coming running from the garden, with rosy cheeks. I thought nothing of it, that at the table--to-day there was a long row of us, the clergyman and his sister, two bailiffs, three farm-pupils, a forester, and Isabella (by way of exception)--she laughed through the entire scale every minute, and carried on all manner of nonsense.

"Anna Maria sat at the head, beside the clergyman, Susanna at her right, and Sturmer next; I sat next to Pastor Grune, and we formed the upper end of the table. I could see that Anna Maria often looked gravely at Susanna; yet a ray of pleasure broke from her eyes when they rested upon this embodied rosebud, and saw how roguish were the dimples in her cheeks, how her eyes shone, and her little teeth flashed behind the red lips, and how she chattered all manner of pretty, foolish stuff.

Isabella's face shone with pride and she looked at the guests in turn; almost every eye was fixed on the girl.

"Then Sturmer rose, and proposed the health of the master of the house--'his best friend,' as he said--and 'the house that was as dear to him as a paternal home.'

"And Anna Maria's face glowed as she raised her gla.s.s to touch with him.

But Susanna trembled, and put her gla.s.s down untouched; she grew pale and quiet, and scarcely spoke again.

"Pastor Grune raised a full gla.s.s to the lady of the house; 'the mistress of Butze,' he called Anna Maria. The old man was much moved as he made mention of her youth and how serious and careful she was; nevertheless, a Martha, who was never weary in working and doing. Anna Maria let the current of his remarks pa.s.s her by, and quietly thanked him as she raised her gla.s.s. All crowded about her to touch her gla.s.s, last of all, Sturmer; she did not look at him as their gla.s.ses touched.

But Susanna fixed her eyes on Anna Maria with an expression of astonishment; she had probably never reflected that there was anything great about such activity. I noticed, too, that she s.h.i.+vered suddenly, as if under a disagreeable impression.

"Then there came sounds of music through the wide-opened windows; the dancing was beginning under the oaks, and the family must not be wanting there. Anna Maria rose from the table, and beckoned to Susanna; we old people sat still longer, and chatted of this and that. My old friend was enjoying her afternoon coffee, which she declared she never could do without, too much to leave; the pastor lighted a pipe, and leaned comfortably back in his great arm-chair. Ah! how long we had known each other, had borne together joy and sorrow. We had, indeed, no lack of conversational matter.

"But I did not stay here long, for there is nothing I like so much to see as happy young people dancing. 'Oh, let us go under the oaks,' I said; but Mademoiselle Grune preferred to take a nap up-stairs in my quiet room, a.s.suring me that she would follow soon; so the pastor escorted me down. When we arrived at the dancing ground, which was surrounded by people, I saw Anna Maria with the head-servant, and Sturmer with the upper housemaid, turning in the floating waltz, for they had to dance with all in turn. But where was Susanna?

"I went around the living wall of people. Under one of the oaks, chairs and tables had been set apart for the family, and, the people had respectfully kept away from this spot. Here stood Susanna, her arm thrown around the rough trunk of the tree, her great eyes fixed on the dancing couples; her delicate nostrils quivered, her breast heaved violently, and tears sparkled in her eyes.

"'I want to dance, too,' she burst forth, pa.s.sionately; 'I want to dance, too, just one single time!'

"Already Sturmer was coming through the crowd and hurrying up to her.

There was no ceremonious request, for a dance, he forgot every formal bow, she was even stretching out her arms toward him, longingly. I think he carried her through the throng rather than that they walked; then he put his arm around her. Was it my imagination, or did he really press her so fast to him that they scarcely touched the ground? As in a dream, I heard Pastor Grune say something about a t.i.tania. I only saw the gracefully swaying figures, the fluttering pink dress, the bright rose in the dark hair, whirling in the rapid dance, and heard the floating melody of the waltz. And above them the old oaks swayed their branches, letting sportive sunbeams through. So distinctly, ah! so distinctly, I can see all this before me.

"Then she stopped, out of breath, and leaned on his arm, a smile of rapture on her glowing face. Was it all only my fancy? Anna Maria so quiet yonder, scarcely breathing after the quick dance; it was surely my imagination that made me think Susanna ought to have looked a little less enchanted, that she ought not to have danced, being betrothed to another. Yes, indeed, I was carrying it too far. And with whom was she dancing then? With Sturmer, with Klaus's best friend. Could there be any danger in that now, when everything was plain between them?

"My thoughts went no farther, for just then the clear tone of a post-horn rang out in the midst of the dance-music, a yellow coach rattled into the court and stopped before the steps, and a man swung himself out.

"'Klaus!' I cried out, and at the first moment would have gone to meet him; then I thought of Susanna--he came on her account, of course; they could not meet here, in the face of all these witnesses. I turned hastily to lead Susanna through the park to the house.

"She was lying unconscious in Isa's arms. 'The dance, the fatal dance!'

lamented Isa; 'she cannot bear it!'

"Anna Maria, pale with fear, bent over her. 'Alas! just at this moment!

Aunt,' she whispered, 'go to Klaus, or I--no, you, I beg you.'

"I limped across the court as quickly as I could; he was already coming toward me in the hall, his whole handsome face glowing with pleasure; without further ado, he took me in his arms.

"'They are under the oaks, are they not?' he asked. 'I wanted to be here to dinner, but these post-horses are miserable nags; they went like snails.' And he took my hand and pressed it to his lips. 'Is she not--Susanna--she----'

"'No, Klaus, they are no longer there. Wait a minute, come into your room; Anna Maria will be here at once. The fact is, Susanna is not quite well to-day; I would rather tell her first that you have come, so unexpectedly.'

"I pushed him back into the sitting-room; Sturmer was just coming in through the garden-parlor. A frightened look came over Klaus's face, but the question died on his lips as Sturmer cordially held out both hands to him, and then, turning to me, said: 'What is the matter with Fraulein Mattoni? Can it really be the effect of dancing? Only think, Klaus, a moment ago she was rosy and happy, and just as you came rattling into the yard, I saw her turn pale and totter, and before I knew what it meant, her old duenna had caught her, and was lamenting, "That comes of dancing!" Is that possible?'

"'Of course!' I declared, quickly; 'Susanna is delicate, and the giddy round dance--' I broke off, for Klaus looked so anxious I feared he might betray himself on the spot.

"'Dear Edwin,' I begged, 'will you take my place with the guests outside for a moment longer? Pastor Grune is sitting quite alone on the bench; you know he is sensitive. Klaus, you will excuse me; I will see how things are going up-stairs, and send Brockelmann to you with something to eat.'

"I do not know if Edwin Sturmer was enraptured at my request, but like an ever-courteous man he went down at once.

"Anna Maria met me on the stairs.

"'Where is he?' she asked hastily, without stopping.

"'Susanna is not seriously ill!' she called back; 'she has opened her eyes again already.' Her blue dress fluttered once more behind the brown bal.u.s.trade; then I heard the cry, 'Klaus, dear Klaus!' a sob, and the door closed.

"Susanna was lying on her bed; her dress had been taken off, and she was lightly covered with a shawl; she held both hands pressed to her temples. Isabella was perched before her, holding a flask of strong-smelling ether. She tenderly stroked the girl's cheeks, and whispered eagerly to her. When she saw me, she got up.

"'How disagreeable, Fraulein! Just in this joyful hour the foolish child has to faint; but so it goes, if young people will not listen,' she began, in a remarkably talkative mood. 'Susanna, my heart, are you better? I have said a hundred times you mustn't dance; it isn't even a refined pleasure to whirl about among those common people. Heavens! what a smell! But, obstinate as ever--wait, I shall tell your _fiance_ of it, that he may keep a firm hand over you. Oh, yes, young people----'

"Susanna gave her nurse a look which expressed everything possible except love and respect.

"'Come, come, be brisk, Susy,' she continued inexorably, 'or do you think it is pleasant for Herr von Hegewitz to be waiting for you like this?'

"Susanna raised herself with a jerk. 'Do be still,' she said, folding her hands, 'I am so dizzy, so ill!'

"'Lie still, Susanna,' I said, to calm her. 'Perhaps you will be better toward evening. Klaus must have patience. Shall I take any greetings to him, meanwhile?'

"She lay back on the pillow, her face turned away from me, and nodded silently. 'Let her sleep,' said I to Isabella; 'she is really exhausted.'

"The old woman shrugged her shoulders. 'I cannot do anything to help matters, either,' she whispered. 'It is unpleasant, but she will soon recover. I know--the nerves, yes, the nerves!' And she sat down on the girl's bed. She looked strangely grotesque and weird, in her enormous black cap with bright orange-colored bows.

"Anna Maria and Klaus were just going down the front steps to the dancing-ground, and he had his arm around her. When they saw me they turned around. Klaus looked troubled, and in Anna Maria's eyes there were traces of tears.

"'You will see her to-day, yet,' I said to him, consolingly. He pressed my hand, and sighed.

"'He is only going to stay till to-morrow, aunt," Anna Maria informed me; 'he only came on Susanna's account.' She spoke pleasantly, and looked up at him with a smile.

"'Alas, alas!' said Klaus, 'affairs are so involved there; but I just wanted to see how such an engagement is good-for-nothing without having once expressed one's self in words. Anything written sounds so cold, doesn't it? It seemed so to me! And then I am glad that I have come, for Susanna's health does not seem to be quite firm yet. I will speak with the doctor, and after the wedding will go south with her.' A very anxious expression lay on his countenance.

"'Poor Klaus, such a reception!' bewailed Anna Maria. 'I do not understand it, either; Susanna was so suddenly seized; she was just seeming so bright again.'

"'You must not let her dance,' said he in reproof.

"'Oh, the kobold was between them before we could prevent it,' I joked.

"'Sturmer dances so madly,' remarked Klaus.

"Meanwhile we had arrived at the scene of festivities. The dancers were still floating gayly about there; Sturmer was leaning, with folded arms, against a tree, and was apparently out of humor. As soon as the people discovered their master, he was received with a storm of greetings, for they were all waiting to welcome him. Klaus spoke a few words to them, and then would have withdrawn, but that was not permitted; he had to dance with the upper housemaid. With a half-amiable, half-morose expression, he took a few turns with the girl, who blushed red at the joy and honor.

"Anna Maria had seated herself in one of the chairs under the trees; Edwin was standing before her, and a happy smile was on her lips. The rays of the setting sun glimmered over her fair head and tinged her face with a warm color.

"She looked wonderfully pretty at this moment; Sturmer looked meditatively down at her. I thought of everything possible as I looked at the two. What will one not think under a blue sky, amid suns.h.i.+ne and gay music?

"It was deep twilight when Isabella came into my room to say that Susanna was ready to see Klaus, and to ask if the meeting might be here.

I a.s.sented joyfully; the old woman went away, and a moment after a slender white figure entered, and leaned, almost tottering, against the great oaken wardrobe by the door. Isabella went away, saying she would inform the master.