CHAPTER XXXII

theloadscatchingthefragrantstuffasthementosseditup.Theirfiguresweresharplyoutlinedagainstthesereneskytheirshoutsandlaughterfloatedacrossthefields.FreedomtocomeandgoatwillinGod'sliberalsunlight—justthat—howpreciousitwas,howunspeakablypreciousitwas.OfallGod'sgifts,surelythemostprecious.Andhowordinary,howuniversal.OnlyforAxeltherewasnone. Whentheyreachedthehouse,thehallseemedtobefullofpeople.Thesupperbellhadlatelyrung,andtheinmates,talkingandlaughing,weregoingintothedining-room.Dellwig,hishandsfullofpapers,nothavingfoundAnnaathome,wasintheactofmakingelaboratefarewellbowstotheassembledladies.AfterthetwosilenthoursofsufferingthatlaybetweenherselfandAxel,howstrangeitwas,thisnoisybustleofdailylife.Shecaughtfragmentsofwhattheyweresaying,fragmentsoftheusualprattle,thesamenothingsthattheysaideveryday,accompaniedbythesamevaguelaughs.Howstrangeitwas,andhowawful,thetremendousnessoflife,thenearnessofdeath,theabsoluterelentlessnessofsuffering,andalltheprattle. "UmGottesWillen!"shriekedFrauvonTreumann,whenshecaughtsightofthiswhiteimageofgriefsetsuddenlyintheirmidst."Ithassmashedup,then,yourbank?"Andshemadeahastymovementtowardsthehalltable,onwhichlayaletterforAnnafromKarlchen,containing,assheknew,anofferofmarriage. Annaturnedwithablindsortofmovement,andstretchedoutherhandforLetty,drawinghertoherside,instinctivelyseekinganycomfort,anysupportandshestoodamomentclingingtoher,gazingatthelittlecrowdwithsombre,unseeingeyes. "Whathashappened,Anna?"askedtheprincessuneasily. "Youmustcongratulateme,"saidAnnaslowlyinGerman,herheadheldveryhigh,herfaceofadeathlywhiteness. AlighteninglookofcomprehensionflashedintoDellwig'seyeshescarcelyneededtohearthewordsthatcamenext. "HerrvonLohmandIwereto-day,"shesaid.Thenshelookedroundatthemwithavague,piteouslook,andputherhanduptoherthroat."Weshallbemarried—weshallbemarried—when—whenitpleasesGod."