Carmen could not witness his misery unmoved. Since the unfortunate
incident connected with him, her life among the Sisters had become
doubly oppressive to her. Like a welcome release from her unpleasant
surroundings came a request from Frau von Trautenau that Sister Agatha
would permit Adele and her dear Carmen to spend Whitsuntide with her at
Wollmershain; an invitation which Agatha gladly accepted for her pupils.

Wollmershain was a large, beautiful estate, which, upon the death of
its owner, had become the joint property of Adele and her brothers; and
Frau von Trautenau had resided there since her widowhood, and proposed
to continue doing so until one of her sons should buy his sister's and
brother's portion and assume the management of it. The relations
between Frau von Trautenau and her step-son had always been of the most
happy and agreeable kind; he honored and loved his step-mother, who had
brought him up with the greatest possible care and affection; and she,
in return placed implicit confidence in his opinions and advice, making
him her chief counsellor since her husband's death.

Into this beautiful home-life Carmen now entered, as if into a new
world. Whereas, the affection between the Brothers and Sisters in the
"community" had always appeared to her in the austere light of a duty,
here it seemed like a natural impulse, springing spontaneously from the
depths of warm and loving hearts.

In all the arrangements of the house and grounds, the idea of the
beautiful, in connection with the comfortable and useful, was
everywhere prominent.

The lofty, well-lighted rooms, adorned and furnished with elegant
simplicity; the smooth green lawns, bordered with lovely flowers of