‘I have much to say to you, Herr–I mean Rudolf,’ she began. ‘Have you? I also have something to say to you. Well?’ ‘To-day Ellen gave me my letters. I had not had them before.’ ‘And you have answered them at once?’ he said, smiling. ‘I like a prompt correspondent. This augurs well for the future, Sara.’ ‘I–I wish you to read them,’ she said, with a heightened colour. ‘Read this of Avice Wellfield’s first.’ She gave it to him, and he read it; then said: ‘Poor little girl! she is in great distress. Is it allowable to ask what you replied, and whether you intend to keep up the correspondence?’ ‘Not if you object in the least,’ said Sara, hastily. ‘I? No. I would not insult you with such an objection if you wrote to and heard from her twice a day,’ he replied, with a rather proud smile. ‘Thank you. And now this from Countess Carla. It has disturbed me very much.’ He read that too, and his countenance also changed. ‘This disturbed you–why?’ he asked. Sara withdrew her hand from his arm, and sat down. ‘I ought to speak about something,’ she faltered; ‘about the future. Everyone–all the world knows that I am married to you. I cannot go on living here just as if nothing had happened, and yet—’ ‘What business had you to be thinking about things?’ he asked, with a half smile. ‘Part of the bargain was that I was to do the thinking, as you must remember. You cannot surely suppose that I have let all this time elapse without thinking upon the subject as well?’ ‘Oh! if you would decide, and tell me what is best, I would so gladly do it!’ she exclaimed. ‘I have decided everything. The plan is ready, and only waits your approval to be carried out.’ ‘And what is it? If I could _only_ get away from here!’ ‘You remember Lahnburg, and my house there?’ ‘Where we spent the day when I was at Nassau? _Mein Genügen_–oh yes, I remember it.’ ‘You are so much stronger than I had dared to hope or expect, that I think you could bear the journey there at any time almost, if I have a special carriage for you, and take care that you don’t get cold. Christmas will be here, you see, directly. To-morrow is the last day before the festivities begin.’ ‘Yes. And people will come and want to see me, and I shall not be able to refuse some of them; and yet it would almost kill me, I think.’ ‘Of course it would. Well, Lahnburg is a quiet, out-of-the-way place enough. If I took you there to-morrow, and settled you there with Ellen, you would avoid all the bustle here. It is a beautiful place. You don’t care to go out, and are not fit for it if you did. I don’t think you will find it duller than this, and certainly less painful; for you will not be under the constraint of feeling that you are known and observed. What do you think?’ ‘I should like that,’ said Sara, slowly; and then, after a long pause, she asked in a low voice: ‘And you?’