Pauline uttered a deep sigh, let his hand fall, closed her eyes, and
tottered a moment. Then she suddenly sank upon her knees in the same
spot where she had knelt before, and her lips began to murmur a prayer.
"Pauline!" he cried imploringly.
She shook her head gently, as though to drive away an inner vision, and
turned entirely away from him.
"Pauline! Let me at least have your address! I will not leave you so
again!"
She bowed her head upon her clasped hands, and neither moved nor
answered.
Rudolf went close to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. A long
shudder passed visibly and perceptibly through her whole frame, and she
buried her face still more closely in her hands.
He understood her--
The first signal of bell ringing sounded, which announced the closing
of the cemetery. Rudolf cast a hasty glance towards the entrance. His
wife and his brother-in-law, with whom he had appointed this place of
meeting, had just appeared there and were looking in every direction.
Rudolf glanced once more at the kneeling supplicant, then with a slow,
noiseless, faltering step he left the circle of flowers.
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