CHAPTER II.

ready.Anythingseemedmorepossiblethanthatshecouldgoonbearingmiseries,greatorsmall. MadamevonLangenneverwentoutbeforebreakfast,sothatGwendolencouldsafelyendherearlywalkbytakingherwayhomewardthroughtheObereStrasseinwhichwastheneededshop,suretobeopenafterseven.Atthathouranyobserverswhomshemindedwouldbeeitherontheirwalksintheregionofthesprings,orwouldbestillintheirbedroomsbutcertainlytherewasonegrandhotel,theCzarinafromwhicheyesmightfollowheruptoMr.Wiener’sdoor.Thiswasachancetoberisked:mightshenotbegoingintobuysomethingwhichhadstruckherfancy?ThisimplicitfalsehoodpassedthroughhermindassherememberedthattheCzarinawasDeronda’shotelbutshewasthenalreadyfaruptheObereStrasse,andshewalkedonwithherusualfloatingmovement,everylineinherfigureanddraperyfallingingentlecurvesattractivetoalleyesexceptthosewhichdiscernedinthemtooclosearesemblancetotheserpent,andobjectedtotherevivalofserpent-worship.Shelookedneithertotherighthandnortotheleft,andtransactedherbusinessintheshopwithacoolnesswhichgavelittleMr.Wienernothingtoremarkexceptherproudgraceofmanner,andthesuperiorsizeandqualityofthethreecentralturquoisesinthenecklacesheofferedhim.Theyhadbelongedtoachainonceherfather’s:butshehadneverknownherfatherandthenecklacewasinallrespectstheornamentshecouldmostconvenientlypartwith.Whosupposesthatitisanimpossiblecontradictiontobesuperstitiousandrationalizingatthesametime?Rouletteencouragesaromanticsuperstitionastothechancesofthegame,andthemostprosaicrationalismastohumansentimentswhichstandinthewayofraisingneedfulmoney.Gwendolen’sdominantregretwasthatafterallshehadonlyninelouistoaddtothefourinherpurse:theseJewdealersweresounscrupulousintakingadvantageofChristiansunfortunateatplay!ButshewastheLangens’guestintheirhiredapartment,andhadnothingtopaythere:thirteenlouiswoulddomorethantakeherhomeevenifshedeterminedonriskingthree,theremainingtenwouldmorethansuffice,sinceshemeanttotravelrighton,dayandnight.Assheturnedhomeward,nay,enteredandseatedherselfinthesalontoawaitherfriendsandbreakfast,shestillwaveredastoherimmediatedeparture,orrathershehadconcludedtotelltheLangenssimplythatshehadhadaletterfromhermammadesiringherreturn,andtoleaveitstillundecidedwhensheshouldstart.Itwasalreadytheusualbreakfast-time,andhearingsomeoneenterasshewasleaningbackrathertiredandhungrywithhereyesshut,sheroseexpectingtoseeoneorotheroftheLangens—thewordswhichmightdetermineherlingeringatleastanotherday,ready-formedtopassherlips.ButitwastheservantbringinginasmallpacketforMissHarleth,whichhadatthatmomentbeenleftatthedoor.Gwendolent