"With a sudden jerk I raised myself up, smoothed back my tumbled hair from my forehead, and with firm tread and set lips I walked towards the house. No sound of rejoicing greeted my ears. All was quiet--quiet as the grave. In the dining-room I found mama alone. She had folded her hands and was heaving deep sighs, while great tears rolled down as far as her white double chin. "'That is the result of her emotion.' thought I to myself, and sat down facing her. "'Wherever have you been hiding, Olga?' she said, this time drying her eyes quite leisurely. 'You must have a few young fowls killed for supper, and set the good Moselle in a cold place. Cousin Robert has come.' "'Ah, indeed,' said I, very calmly, 'where may he be?' "'He is speaking to papa in his study.' "'And where is Martha?' I asked, smiling. "She gave me a disapproving look for my precociousness, and then said, 'She is in there, too.' "'Then I suppose I can go at once and offer my congratulations; I remarked. "'Saucy girl,' said she. "But before I could carry out my purpose the door of the adjoining room opened and in walked slowly, as slowly as if he came from a sepulchre, Robert--Cousin Robert, with ashy pale face and great drops of perspiration on his brow. I felt how, at sight of him, all my blood, too, left my face. A presentiment of evil awoke within me. "'Where is Martha?' I cried, hastening towards him. "'I do not know.' He spoke as if every word choked him. He did not even shake hands. "And then papa came too, after him. "Mama had got up and all three stood there and silently shook hands like at a funeral. "'Where is Martha?' I cried once more. "'Go and look after her,' said papa, 'she will want you.' "I rushed out, up the stairs to her room. It was locked. "'Martha, open the door! It is I.' "Nothing stirred. "I begged, I implored, I promised to make everything right again. I lavished endearing epithets upon her--that, too, was in vain. Nothing was audible except from time to time a deep breath which sounded like a gasp from a half-throttled throat. "Then rage seized me, that I should be everywhere repulsed. "'I suppose I am just good enough to prepare the mourning repast.' I said, laughing out loud, ran to the maids and had six young chickens killed and even stood by calmly while the poor little creatures' blood squirted out of their necks. "One of them, a young cockerel, quite desperately beat its wings and crowed for very terror of death, while it thrust its spurs at the maid's fingers. "'Even a poor, weak animal like this resists when one tries to kill it,' I thought to myself, 'but my lady sister humbly kisses the hand that wields the knife against her.'