"
"I forbid him!" commanded Gretchen in alarm.
"As God hears me, Herr," said Stahlberg stoutly. "I wrote not a line
to you or to any one."
"Oh!" cried the innkeeper, stamping. "And you deny that you have
written here that you saw Her Highness in the garden three nights ago?"
Gretchen was beginning to grow terrified for some reason. I myself was
filled with wonder, knowing well enough that nothing about a garden had
been written in the note I had received.
"Do you dare deny," went on the implacable old man, "that you have
written here that you saw Her Highness in the garden, and that she was
weeping and murmuring this man's name?"
"Oh!" cried Gretchen, gazing wildly at the door.
The innkeeper suddenly took the bewildered giant by the shoulders and
pushed him from the room, following him swiftly; and the door closed
noisily behind them.
My heart was in flames. I understood all now, though I dare say
Gretchen didn't. All at once, her head fell on the back of the chair
from which she had but lately risen. She was weeping silently and
deeply. I did not move, but stood watching her, drinking in with
exultation the loveliness of a woman in tears.
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