Ah! but that was a hard blow for Johannes. He was not so troubled at having been invited as a guest, for a side purpose--he was not so overweening as that--but because he was surely going to be a disappointment to his beloved countess. With a sigh he looked down at the carpet. "Shall we not make a call upon the invalid?" asked the lady, rising. Johannes nodded, and followed her. * * * * * The door of the sick-room was barely open, when a pitiable scream rang out from the corner. The poor girl sat on the floor, huddled up in her nightgown, her long black hair disheveled, and hanging down over face and back. Her beautiful dark eyes were widely distended, and her features wore an expression of mortal anguish. "Oh, God!--It is coming!" she shrieked, trembling. "Now it will happen! Oh, God! It surely will! I know it will! There it comes! Did I not say so? Now it comes!--Oh! Oh! Oh!" The nurse hushed and commanded, but the poor, tormented creature trembled and wept, and seemed so desperately afraid, that Johannes, greatly moved, begged leave to go away again. It seemed as if she were afraid of him. "No, my boy!" said the countess. "It is not on account of you. She does that way whoever comes in. She is afraid of everybody and everything she sees or hears." * * * * * That whole day, and a good deal of the night, Johannes mused over this one query: "Why--_why_ is that poor girl so afraid?" VI Johannes did not leave, and at last came the day of the dreaded party. Having grown more confident, he had spoken of his needs. The carriage put in an appearance, and in the neighboring town, he was soon provided with suitable clothing. Still, his mind was not quite at rest. "Will you also say, dear lady," said Johannes that afternoon, when with the children and their mother, "that I truly cannot play upon any instrument? Please don't ask me to do anything!" "But, Johannes," urged the countess, "that would really be very disagreeable in me. After what I have said, something will be expected of you." "I cannot do anything!" said Johannes, in distress. "He is joking, Mama," said Olga; "he can play the castanets and can imitate animals." "Oh, yes! all kinds of animals! Awfully nice!" cried Frieda. "Is that so, Johannes? Well, then?" * * * * *