Anton and Thoma had come to the open gate. They stood there as if rooted to the spot. "For God's sake! What has happened?" Anton cried, and hastened to the prostrate form. But Thoma stood still, and fixed her gaze on her father, who was tearing open his vest, and loosening his collar. Controlling herself with a violent effort, Thoma went up to her father, who was staring into his open hands. "Father! What have you done?" cried she. He looked at her. There was a terrible change in his face. Is this the look of a man at the moment that he has killed another? Thoma laid her hand on his shoulder. He shook it off and said: "Let me alone." He was afraid of her, and she of him. At this moment it came to pass that father and daughter lost each other. "He's dead! His skull is broken!" called the hostler, Fidelis, who, with Anton, had lifted Vetturi up. With eyes cast on the ground, Thoma went to the house. Landolin left the yard, and went to the spring on the other side of the road. The people in the house, who had come to give their congratulations, hastened out. With lamentation and mourning they carried Vetturi home to his mother. Landolin's yard was suddenly still and forsaken; only a little pool of blood, near the heap of paving-stones, showed what had happened there. The sparrows and chickens had gathered round. The head-servant Tobias drove them off, and quickly swept everything away. He then threw the stone and the broom into the drain. CHAPTER XVI. When Anton returned Landolin was still at the spring, holding his hands under its broad stream of water. "How is it?" he asked, turning round. "He is dead; he gives no sign of life," replied Anton. Landolin shook the water from his hands fiercely, and shaking his head slowly, said: "You saw it, Anton? You had just come up. The stone didn't touch him; he fell down at the sound of my voice." Before Anton could reply, Landolin asked: "Was his mother at home?" "Yes, she had just come in, and it was terrible when she threw herself on her son's body and cried out: 'Vetturi! open your eyes, Vetturi! Open your mouth, here is some brandy! Drink, do drink!'" "I, too, must drink something," replied Landolin; and placing his lips to the trough, he drank long. Indeed, it was plain that he purposely allowed the water to splash into his face, and as he slowly wiped it dry, he said: "Go to Thoma, now! I'll soon follow you." Anton obeyed. He found Thoma standing near the porch by the flowers, picking off the dead leaves of the rosemary, the yellow jessamine, and the carnations. She did not look round. "Thoma, here I am; don't you see me?" cried he. "Yes, I see you," answered Thoma. Her voice and her face, which she now turned toward Anton, were changed; and her eyes, which before had been so fearless, now wandered uneasily here and there.