The accident was his salvation; and his object in adopting an irritated, reproachful manner in Lilly's presence was merely to make her aware of what he was sacrificing because of his love of her. Indirectly he had heard news of the colonel which filled Lilly with horror. It had gradually become a fixed idea of the colonel's that Anna von Schwertfeger had acted in collusion with Lilly and Von Prell; and man of violence that he was, he had chased her from his castle. Since then he lived alone, a maddened misanthrope, and it was feared he would come to a sad end. An ominous greeting from those sunny days of Lilly's past. * * * * * A few months later that occurred which Mrs. Jula had prophesied: one day Richard spoke to Lilly of marrying another woman, not, however, for the purpose of annoying her, but because he had formed the habit of disburdening himself of every vexation by talking it over with her. His mother was entertaining an enormously wealthy orphan girl. Of course for Richard--wholly and entirely for Richard. She sat at table every day, a pale, strawy blond, and looked at him questioningly with great, strange eyes: "Aren't you soon going to propose?" His mother delivered long sermons. It could not go on the same way. A few more seasons like the last and all the respectable families would point the finger of scorn at him. It was enough to drive him distracted. Lilly felt as if glacial waters were trickling down her back. But she bore up bravely. She smiled at him, and betrayed no more excitement than if he had been consulting her about some doubtful factory model. "Do you feel you could get to love her?" she asked. "What does 'to love' mean?" he rejoined, avoiding her gaze. "Well, everything has to be taken into consideration." "You talk just as if I were serious about it," he cried. "Altogether you act as if you didn't care, as if you would like to be rid of me in a twinkling." With languid eagerness Lilly tried to assure him she did not wish to stand in his way, not in the least, least bit. She had only his happiness at heart, and if he cared to make her proud by showing confidence in her, he would not take this step, neither now nor later, without discussing it with her beforehand. He was touched. He kissed her and said: "Oh, it's nonsense." But the conversation left Lilly as in a nightmare, and the one thought obsessed her: "If he deserts me, I shall sink into the mire after all." Grief over her mother's death was a vanishing cloud compared with this torturing anguish.