"You know it will come before the courts. Frank refuses to recognize the claims of the fellow Wolff."
"He will not refuse," she answered, calmly, "but I wish you would take the matter in hand, uncle, and pay Wolff for his trouble."
Her eyes filled suddenly with angry tears.
"Oh, ta, ta! Why should I meddle with the matter?"
"I ask it of you, uncle, before it becomes the talk of the town."
"Ah, do you think, my child, it is not already whispered about? Hm!--Well I will do it, but entirely from selfish motives, you know. Do you think it isn't disagreeable to me, too? Oh, ta, ta! What big drops those were! But will you promise me then to let well enough alone! What? You cannot leave him!"
"No," she replied, "but we shall agree upon a separation."
"Are you mad, child?" cried the old gentleman with a crimson face.
"He only wanted my money; let him keep it," was her murmured reply, "_I_ was only a necessary incumbrance,--_I_!"
"Oh, that is only your sensitiveness," said her uncle soothingly.
"Do you know me so little?" she inquired, drawing herself up to her full height. Her swollen eyes looked into his with an expression of cold decision.
The little man hastily shut the door behind him. It was exactly as if his dead brother were looking at him. In a most uncomfortable frame of mind, he got into his carriage. Confound it! here he was plunged into difficulties again by his good nature.
Gertrude remained alone. For one moment she looked after him and then she covered her face with her hands despairingly, threw herself on the little sofa and wept.
It was towards evening. Frank Linden mounted the steps, stood on the terrace and whistled shrilly out into the garden. He waited awhile and then shook his head. "The brute has gone with her," he said in a low voice; "even an animal like that takes part against me." He went back into the dining-room and stumbled over Johanna, who was busy at the side-board.
"You will go over to 'Waldruhe' in an hour," he said, looking past her. "Take what clothes are necessary for my wife with you. Whatever else she may desire is at her disposal at any moment."
Johanna glanced at him shyly, the face that was usually so glowing looked so ashy pale in the evening light.