"
Instead of any answer or word of greeting from her aunt the same
question from both sides sounded in her ears.
"Where is Willibald?"
"He'll be here in a few minutes, he waited to give some direction to the
castle gardener; he does not know his mother is here."
"To the castle-gardener! Doubtless he wants some more roses," Frau von
Eschenhagen broke out afresh, while the father held out both his arms to
Toni and said, in a trembling voice:
"My child, my poor, deceived child, come to me. Come to your father's
arms."
He would have drawn his daughter into his arms, but Regine stepped
before him and said in a husky voice:
"Be composed, Toni, you will have a fearful blow from your false lover;
you will despise him and his deceptions from your very soul."
This sudden sympathy had in it something alarming, but fortunately Toni
had never been troubled with weak nerves; she released herself now from
this double embrace, and drew back from them both as she said, with
quiet decision:
"I could not do that, for Will is beginning to please me better now than
he has ever pleased me before in his life."
"So much the worse," interrupted her father. "Poor child, you know
nothing, suspect nothing. Your lover has fought a duel, and for a woman,
too."
"I know it, papa.
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