CHAPTER VI

dthecustomoflifelyingheavyonthemtheywereable,afteronelittlestartonfirstseeingHerrDremmel,todriftintothecornersoftheroomandpretendthatwhattheyhadcomeforwasbooks.ExceptMrs.Bawn.Mrs.Bawnsaw,stared,turnedonherheel,andwentoutagainvolcanicallyandthecorridorshooktoherdepartingfootstepsandtotheangryunintentionalrhymesshewasmakingaloudwithwordslikehoaxandjokes. WithastonishmentanddisgustHerrDremmelsawthesevenladiesaccumulate.Itwasmostunfortunatethatonthatmorningofallmorningsthesmallsalon,soinvariablyempty,shouldbevisited.Hisinexperiencedminddidnotconnecttheirappearancewithhislettersitneveroccurredtohimthathisreasoningastowhattheywoulddoonreceivingthemcouldpossiblybewrong.Nordidhe,ashewatchedthedooropenandshutseventimesandseventimesadmitthewrongwoman,guessthattheirpresence,ifIngeborgcame,wouldimmenselyhelphisbetrothal. Theladies,fingeringdustyTauchnitzesandmagazinesandeyeingthetableinthewindowwithheadsasmuchavertedascouldbecombinedwiththeseeingofit,graduallyfoundtheshocktheyhadhadbeingsoothedbytheinteresttheyfeltinwhatHerrDremmelwoulddowhenherealisedthatthatunladylikeMissBullivant,allunawareofwhatwaswaitingforher,wasnotcoming.Nowthattheyweretheretheymightaswellstayandseetheendofit.ItwasreallyveryinterestinginitswaysoGermansounlike,thankgoodness,whatEnglishpeopleeverdid.Wouldhestandthereallday,theywondered,withthatreallymostimproperlysuggestivecake,soverylikeachristeningcake?Oneortwoofthemsatdownsquarelyonthesofasbehindmonths-oldmagazinesroundwhoseedgestheypeeped,makingitcleartotheunhappymanthatthey,atleast,intendedtostaythereandtheyallcoughedalittleeverynowandtheninthewayawaitingcongregationcoughsinchurch. Thenthedoorwaspushedopenwiththejerkofsomebodywhoiseitherinahurryorhascometoasuddendetermination,andwhoshouldappearbutthatMissBullivant. Athrillranthroughthesevenladies,andtheyinstantlybecame,behindtheirmagazines,stiffwithexcitement.Chancewhatachanceshehadchancedtolookinitwaslikeaplaydearme,thoughteachoftheseven. AndIngeborg,whobelievedaslatelyasthelastmomentonthedoormatoutsidethatshehadonlycomeinordertotellHerrDremmelshewasnotcoming,whenshesawthecake,verywhiteandbridal,onawhiteclothwithwhiteflowersinpotsroundit,andoneithersideofitabottlewithawhiteribbonaboutitsneck,andontheotherforthesakeofsymmetrytwoglasses,wasstaggered.Howcouldshe,whosomuchlovedtoplease,tomakehappy,cruellyhurthim,spoilhislittlefeast,wipeouttheglow,theimmensereliefthatbeamedfromhisfacewhenhesawher? Sheturnedroundquickly,realisingthepresenceofthesevenladies.Amazedshestaredatthem,mechanicallycountingthem.Howcouldshemakehimridiculous,humiliatehim,beforeallthosewomen? Hesitating,torn,poisedonthetipofflight,shes