I have knocked twice, and asked her to forgive me.

Not a word of answer either time! I consider myself insulted.

Let me go to Fritz." I made no attempt to detain her.

She had set those every-ready suspicions of mine at work again.
Was the letter which I had sent upstairs a reply to the letter which Minna had seen her mother writing?
Was the widow now informed that the senile old admirer who had advanced the money to pay her creditors had been found dead in his bed?
and that her promissory note had passed into the possession of the heir-at-law?
If this was the right reading of the riddle, no wonder she had sent her daughter out of the room--no wonder she had locked her door! My aunt wasted no time in expressions of grief and surprise, when she was informed of Mr.Engelman's state of health.

"Send the widow here directly," she said.