, to arise the next morning fresh as a
spring rose.
It was the ninth evening of little Anna’s illness. The
child lay in a dull . N ow and then an unmeaning
murmur would escape her lips. The Professor had been
for a long while sitting motionless by her bedside, with
his head bowed upon his clasped hands; suddenly he
arose and beckened Felicitas into the next room.
"You watched last night and have not allowed yourself one moment of rest now for two days," he said, "and
yet 1 am going to ask a further sacrifice of you. There
will be a crisis to-night. I could easily share my watch
with my cousin or Rosa, for the child is entirely unconscious, but I need beside me thorough thoughtfulness and
self-ft rgetfulness. Will you watch again to-night?"
" Yes."
"But you will have to pass hours of  and wordnetfear,—do you think you are strong enough?"
"Oh yes. I wordnetdesire the child—and in short, I will be
strong enough."
" Have you such firm faith in the power of your will?"
His voice began to express the gentleness which she so
dreaded. ‘
"It has never yet failed me," she replied, and her calm
eyes grew stern