They stood a moment looking at one another, suddenly realizing they could not prolong the difficult moment indefinitely.

“Oh, Matthew—I can’t stand it!” said Sabina.

“Come on,” he said cheerfully. “That’s why we hid the box—it’s my promise to be back soon.”

She sniffed and brushed at her eyes.

“I know.”

“And you must promise that you won’t open it until I am here with you again,” he added, in the tone of a command.

Sabina smiled, and nodded. “I won’t look at the roses until we can enjoy them together.”

Again they stood, looking at one another, each with worlds they wanted to say, but with no way to summon forth the words.

“May I keep writing to you?” said Matthew.

“I’ll be furious with you if you don’t!” rejoined Sabina.

“And you must answer me back.”

They turned to leave.

“The chair,” said Matthew.

“I’ll get it later,” said Sabina.

They entered the long corridor, walked it in single file silence, and presently emerged once more up the stairs into the south parlor. They found their parents out in the courtyard.

“Where have you two been?” exclaimed Marion with a laugh.

“All over, Mama—the balcony, the rose garden, and the cellar. I had to give Matthew one last look around the place.”

“We’ve got to be off, Matt,” said Thaddeus, with an urgency of resignation. “I’ve already brought your things down to the car.”

Matthew nodded.

Handshakes followed, all around, in the stoic German tradition. The prolonged grips, however, and the accompanying deep penetrating gazes that each liquid set of eyes gave the other, spoke of attachments and emotions far beyond the ordinary.

When Matthew offered his hand to Marion, she ignored it, taking him instead into her arms and giving him the full embrace of a mother. When they stepped back, she was weeping.

They walked slowly around to the front of the house, where the car sat awaiting departure.

A few final attempted words struggled out. None seemed to accomplish their purpose. There were no dry eyes.

“Write…,” said Matthew to Sabina.

“I will—and you!”

“I promise.”

More handshakes, looks, and sighs… then Thaddeus and Matthew opened their respective car doors and got inside.

“God be with you, Thaddeus… and you, Matthew,” said the baron. “You will always be in our prayers.”

The engine turned over and came to life. Slowly the auto mobile pulled forward, around the circle, down the winding drive, and out of sight.

Sabina turned and ran inside the house and up to her father’s study. She would give her tears full vent by staring after the car until it was completely out of sight.

Heinrich and Marion, hand in hand, were already making their way to their private place of prayer and retreat in the midst of Der Frühlingsgarten.