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"I have watched over her well," said Elsbeth; "she generally stands underneath my window, for we have purchased the whole of your father's inheritance that nothing should be lost to you." When they approached the opposite edge of the wood, he said, pointing to two trees which stood twenty steps away from the road. "Here is the place where I found you lying in your hammock."
After an hour the doctor brought them both into the living-room back to the ladies. Toni was entirely changed, his eyes had now an earnest but quite different expression. The lady from Geneva was indescribably delighted. She sat down beside him at once, and he had to tell her where he had been to school and what he had liked to study. But the doctor beckoned to Elsbeth to come to him.
"People must go downstairs," said Clara, passing. "Take Charlotte, Timothy. How d'you do, Mr. Flanders." "How d'you do, Mr. Flanders," said Julia Eliot, holding out her hand. "What's been happening to you?" "Who is Silvia? what is she? That all our swains commend her?" sang Elsbeth Siddons. Every one stood where they were, or sat down if a chair was empty.
The chief-justice, whose eyes no speck of dust in the court escaped, bent forward and whispered to him, with a meaning smile, "The witness has fainted." Then the president, too, smiled, and the whole assembly of judges smiled. Elsbeth, leaning on her father's arm, left the court.
But the younger Erdmann no longer thought of her; he was busy sticking pins into the calves of the boys sitting behind him. When the lesson was over, the girls left the church first, marching in couples. Only when the last were outside, the boys were allowed to follow. Just outside the church he met Elsbeth, who was walking towards her carriage.
Elsbeth wore a wide-brimmed straw-hat on her head as a protection against the sun's rays. She took it off now, and swung it to and fro by the elastic. "You will be too hot," he said; but as she laughed at him a little he took his off also and threw it high in the air. "You are quite a merry fellow," she said, nodding approvingly.
"Just look, Meyerhofer is sweethearting!" cried the elder Erdmann, who had hidden behind the church door, through the crack of which he wanted to tickle his companions with a little straw. Elsbeth and Paul looked at each other in surprise, for they did not know the meaning of this phrase; but as they felt that it must signify something very bad they blushed and separated.
He also wore patent-leather boots and a fashionable colored necktie, and his suit was made of the finest shining black cloth. Almost for an hour Paul stood there without daring to move from his position, devouring Elsbeth and her vis-a-vis with his eyes. The night came. He scarcely perceived it. Long rows of lanterns were lighted, and shed forth an uncertain light on the gay crowd.
"Ah," sighed Clara, who stood beside Jacob, half-way through. "Then to Silvia let us sing, That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing Upon the dull earth dwelling. To her let us garlands bring," sang Elsbeth Siddons. "Ah!" Clara exclaimed out loud, and clapped her gloved hands; and Jacob clapped his bare ones; and then she moved forward and directed people to come in from the doorway.
Between the leaves rust-colored ants were creeping, and a lizard rustled down into the green depths. Silently they both stood there, and Paul trembled. Neither dared to interrupt the solemn stillness. "Where have they buried my father?" Paul asked at last. "Your sisters took the body over to Lotkeim," answered Elsbeth. "That is as well," he replied.
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