"Don't go near her," was now, as it had been five months ago, the upshot of his wisest reflections, but the resolve which then had had its foundation in a courageous and vigorous character, was now prompted by weakness and fear. He avoided, too, associating with any of the inmates of his house, except at meals. He saw plainly how much they were estranged from him. Johanna scarcely noticed him; Elly was frightened of him; and Hertha defiant; even his beloved old mother had no longer the heart to force him into conversation. Never, indeed, had there been a sadder Advent time at Halewitz. The sixteenth of December had always been a high feast-day in the annals of the county gentry, for it was Frau von Stolt's birthday. She did not send out invitations, but took it as a personal insult if people did not come on that day without. Leo felt that he would be bound to put in an appearance at Stoltenhof, or risk a feud with his neighbours. He did not expect that _she_ would be there, as Ulrich was still away, but at the bare possibility his heart seemed to jump into his throat. There was a scurrying up and down the corridors, banging of doors without end; for the two "chicks" were going to their first dance to-day, so the whole household was in a fever of excitement. At dusk grandmamma came into Leo's study, her bosom bristling with pins. "Won't you, for once, drive with us to-night, dear son?" she asked. "No." "Johanna is not going." "Still I say no." "Leo!" With her hands folded and gulping back her tears, she came and stood close to him. "What is it, mother?" "Leo, are you ill?" "No." He fixed on her a morose and vacant gaze. "Have we offended you, Leo?" "No." "Haven't you the least bit of love left for me?" He saw her pleading eyes, her quivering lips, and for a moment he was moved to sorrow, but the rising emotion was extinguished instantly, like a lighted match in a water-butt. "Leave me alone," he said. "I want nothing but to live in my own way, and not to be too intimate with any one," and he turned his back. She stroked his sleeve twice, thrice, and with this timid endearment slipped quietly away. The next moment he heard her scolding the lady's maid because she had not ironed a strip of tulle properly. "Fortunately things don't go very deeply with her," he thought. And then he was filled with disgust at his own conduct. Was he going to sacrifice his mother, too, to that nameless ghost of the past? The big covered sleigh came round at seven o'clock, and half an hour later he followed it, in a small sleigh with one horse, as usual driving himself. A pale moonlight illumined the white expanse of snow from which the peasants' huts and farm-buildings rose in shapeless masses of shadow. The distance was enshrouded in a milky haze, setting the groups of trees in silver.