Ernestine walked silently beside her uncle. Her eyes gleamed strangely in the twilight as she looked up at him. She did not understand all that he said. But there came an icy chill from his words, and it was owing to him that her feverish excitement of mind was allayed. Soft and gently as falling snow in the night, his words had fallen into her mind, and, without her knowledge, hidden the last blossoms of faith there under a thick, cold pall. Beneath it her young heart grew torpid; and she took this quiet, painless sleep for peace. When they reached home, they found the Staatsräthin's carriage before the door. "Uncle," said Ernestine alarmed and disturbed, "go in and see if it is the Frau Staatsräthin herself,--if it is, I would rather stay outside." At this moment little Angelika looked out of the window, and called Ernestine by name in a tone of delight. There was no help for it. Ernestine had to go in and encounter, to her distress, the majestic figure of the Staatsräthin. The great lady acknowledged Leuthold's low bow by a slight inclination of her head, and held out her hand to Ernestine. "You have avoided me hitherto, my child. Have I, without intending it, done anything to pain you?" Ernestine stood silent in confusion. She could not have told, even had she wished to do so, what the kind Staatsräthin had done to her, for she did not know herself what it was. She could not understand, in her childish inexperience, that it was her sense of shame at her own insufficiency that embarrassed her in the Frau Staatsräthin's presence. The lady's eyes rested kindly upon the shadowy little figure. She stroked the child's thick, short curls, and then turned to Leuthold, while Angelika, who had a large doll in her arms, drew Ernestine away to a deep window-seat. "My object here to-day, Herr Doctor, is to arrange a pressing matter of business with you as speedily as possible." "Madam," said Leuthold bowing, "I feel much honoured. May I offer you one of these clumsy chairs? or will you have the kindness to go up with me to my own apartments, where I can receive you in a more fitting manner?" The Staatsräthin glanced towards the children. "I would like to speak to you alone for a few moments, Herr Doctor." "Then, madam, let me request you to accompany me." With these words Leuthold opened the door. "Angelika," the Staatsräthin said to the child, "stay with Ernestine until I come back."