"First of all, I pray, take care of yourself; that little rain will not hurt me, I assure you. Your dress is damp, and your thin boots are not made for the wet grass on the meadow." "Oh, as for me, I am easily helped. I have everything I need in the next room." "The next room!" "Yes! Did I not tell you that I often spend a night here? That door leads into my dressing-room." "Then go at once and change your dress." Melitta drew her hand from the young man's hand, and went without saying a word; she disappeared through a door close by the statue, which Oswald had not noticed before. He threw himself into one of the arm-chairs, and rested his head on his hand; then he started up again, leaned against the window, and stared with troubled eyes into the rain and storm; then he walked hastily up and down in the room; at last he threw himself down before the pedestal of the goddess and cooled his hot brow against the marble feet. The rustling of a dress close by him aroused him from his feverish dream. "Melitta!" he cried, looking up at her with tears of happiness in his eyes. "Melitta!" She bent down to him and kissed him softly on the forehead; then she rushed away, threw herself into an arm-chair, and sobbed as if her heart were breaking. Oswald knelt down before her; he seized her knees; he pressed his glowing face on her dress; he kissed her dress, her hands. "Melitta! sweet one, dear one, don't cry! How can you cry when you make me so inexpressibly happy? Your tears kill me, Melitta! Dear, dearest Melitta! Take my heart's blood, drop by drop. Are not my blood, my life, my soul, all your own? Melitta, I shall never cease to thank you for this moment; do you hear, Melitta, never, never, by----" "For God's sake! do not swear," cried Melitta, starting up and placing her hand on his mouth. Then she took his head and kissed him passionately on brow and eyes and lips. And again she started up and walked with rapid steps up and down the room. "Oh! my God, my God!" she cried, wringing her hands. She hastened towards the door, as if she wished to flee, but she broke down before she reached it. Oswald caught her in his arms and carried her to the sofa. He covered her cold hands, her trembling lips, with glowing kisses; a cry of joy arose from his breast when the rigid form at last began to move once more. She raised herself partly, and fixing her eyes upon him with an expression of ineffable love, she said in a low voice, low yet firm, as when a patient asks his physician whether it will end in life or death---- "Oswald, listen to me! Do you love me now, at this moment, as you think you can love a woman upon earth?" "Yes, Melitta!" "Well, then, Oswald, I love you, now and forever!" The storm had passed; the refreshed, fragrant forest was silent again and at rest, and over the forest rose brightly from the purple evening sky the beautiful star of Venus. CHAPTER XV.