“My mother has done you an injustice,” said Willibald, half-aloud.  “And she did not speak in the name of the others.  Toni knew nothing about it, believe me.  She—­”

“Then why didn’t you speak out and say so?” interrupted the girl with growing anger.  “There you stood, listening to a shameful, insulting attack upon a young, defenseless girl, and hadn’t enough manhood to come forward and take her part.  True enough, you did attempt something of the kind, but you were well scolded, and sent off like a school-boy, and you went without a word, too.”

Willibald stood like one in whose ears heavy thunder is echoing.  He had felt most keenly the injustice of his mother’s scathing remarks, and was trying in his timid way, to do what he could to make amends and show his good will, and here he was being soundly rated for his pains.  He stood and stared at her without speaking, and his silence incensed the girl still more.

“And now you come and bring me flowers,” she continued with growing excitement.  “Secretly, behind your mother’s back, and do you think I would accept such an insult?  First learn how a man should behave when he witnesses such an iniquity, then pay attention to trifling courtesies afterwards.  Now—­now, I will show you what I think of you and your present.”  She tore the paper from his hand, rolled it like a ball and threw it upon the floor, where she stamped on it passionately with her little foot.

“But Fraeulein—­” Willibald, vacillating between shame and anger, would have interfered to save his roses, but the dangerous look in the dark eyes warned him to keep back.

“Now we are quits.  If Toni knows nothing about all this I am sorry, but I shall stay away for the future rather than expose myself to fresh insults.  I pray she may be happy, though I should certainly not be so in her place.  I am only a poor girl, but I would never marry a man who was afraid to speak without his mother’s permission.  No, not if he were heir to Burgsdorf ten times over.”

With this she turned her back upon the heir, and a second later left the room.

“Will, what does this mean?” sounded the voice of Frau von Eschenhagen, who stood in the half-open door.  As she received no answer, she crossed the room to her son’s side with a step and manner which prophesied no good for that young man.

“That was a most remarkable scene which I have just witnessed.  Will you be good enough to explain to me what it signifies?  That little insignificant thing, bubbling over with passion and anger, telling you the most disgraceful things to your very face, and you standing there like a sheep, taking them all.”

“Because she had the right to say them,” said Will, still looking down at the scattered rose leaves.

“She had what?” asked the mother, who could not believe she heard aright.

The young heir raised his head and looked at her; his face wore a new and singular expression.