and Madame Voss hardly knew how to treat her step-son. At last she
asked him whether he would have dinner, and an order was given to
Peter to prepare something for the young master in the small room.
And George asked after the children, and in this way the dreaded
subject was for some minutes laid on one side.

In the mean time, information of George's arrival had been taken
upstairs to Marie. She had often wondered what sign he would make
when he should hear of her engagement. Would he send her a word of
affection, or such customary present as would be usual between two
persons so nearly connected? Would he come to her marriage? And
what would be his own feelings? She too remembered well, with
absolute accuracy, those warm, delicious, heavenly words of love
which had passed between them. She could feel now the pressure of
his hand and the warmth of his kiss, when she swore to him that she
would be his for ever and ever. After that he had left her, and for
a year had sent no token. Then he had come again, and had simply
asked her whether she were engaged to another man; had asked with a
cruel indication that he at least intended that the old childish
words should be forgotten. Now he was in the house again, and she
would have to hear his congratulations!

She thought for some quarter of an hour what she had better do, and
then she determined to go down to him at once. The sooner the first
meeting was over the better. Were she to remain away from him till
they should be brought together at the supper-table, there would
almost be a necessity for her to explain her conduct. She would go
down to him and treat him exactly as she might have done, had there
never been any special love between them. She would do so as
perfectly as her strength might enable her; and if she failed in