"How beautiful you have become!" whispered the mother, as she stroked her daughter's hair and cheeks, buried herself in those gazelle-like eyes, encircled that slender waist with her arms, "and taller than I!" "And you still look so young, dear mother, you might be my sister." "I am rather late. An accident befell the carriage; it broke a wheel. I still do not know whether I come to you with a blessing or a curse." "A curse, mother?" Eva asked fearfully. "And yet--that one went away, far away into the world," said she, as if speaking to herself. "The family is large; they are the same names." Meanwhile, Kalzow had drawn near, and received his sister with a solemn embrace, while Miranda contented herself with offering the tips of her right hand fingers in sisterly welcome. Blanden had vouchsafed less attention to this meeting than might have been expected. He had once entertained unorthodox views about mothers-in-law; would neither disturb the daughter's nor the relatives' greeting, and, remaining averted, he conversed with Doctor Kuhl, who had just emptied a glass of punch, upon the strengthening properties of that beverage. Thereupon, Eva went towards him, leading her mother by the hand. "Max, my mother," said she, as she now left her mother and stood beside her lover. She was about to utter his name, when the word died upon her lips. Pale as death, with an expression of infinite pain, the mother swooned. Dr. Kuhl caught her in his arms, for Blanden stood as if motionless, staring at what seemed incredible to him. For a moment it appeared to him as if the sky, with all its stars, danced above him; as if this assembly adorned with flags, ribbons and garlands, was but a mirage, gliding down from out the clouds, and this strange, veiled, unconscious figure a ghost, that filled his soul with a shudder from the grave. But though it all came over him with thoughts following quickly as lightning, like boundless pain, as though a yawning cleft went through his whole life--as though a ghost-like hand were thrusting him back when he hoped to attain peaceful bliss, and like the pressure of an ever-tightening rack, the thought suffused his whole soul that his betrothal was impossible. And it was that, which the weak woman now raising herself, seemed to whisper into her brother's ear, who started back as if stung by an adder. Tortured with unutterable fear, Eva hastened to and fro. Was that still the same glittering starlit sky, and the same moon-illumined world, still the same joyfully-excited crowd? The only sad secret of her life had risen up in all its magnitude, darkening everything, and casting unholy shadows upon the happiness of her love. The festive music, the merry circling dance, seemed to her like mockery. With ready presence of mind, Dr. Kuhl had given the signal for it to re-commence, so as not to interrupt the entertainment, and to conceal behind the enjoyment of the many, that mysterious, crushing occurrence.