CHAPTER VI

toodthere.HerhandwasonthedoortoopenitagainandrunbutHerrDremmel'ssimplicitycametohishelpmoreeffectuallythanthecunningestplans.Heforgottheladies,andsteppingforwardtookherhandinhisandquitesimplykissedherforehead,sealingherthenandthere,withtheperfectfranknessofhiscountrymenwhenengagedinlegitimatecourtship,ashisbetrothed.Hethenslippedaringheworeonhislittlefingerontoherthumb,thatbeingtheonlybitofherhandhecouldfindthatitwouldstayon,andhebeingfreefromprejudicesinthematteroffingers,andthething—atleastsohesupposed—wasdone. Ingeborginherbewildermentletthesethingshappentoher.Herthoughtsasshestoodbeingbetrothedwerejerkingthemselvesintoaperfecttangleofknots.Shewasastonishedatthetrickslifestoopsto.Acakeandtheeyesofsevenwomen.Herwholefuturebeingdecidedbyacakeandtheeyesofsevenwomen.Oh,no,itcouldn'tbe.Itwasonlythatshecouldn'tstopnow.Impossible,utterly,tostopnow.Shehadneverdreamedshewouldn'tfindhimalone.Thesewomenwereallwitnesses.Hehadkissedherbeforethemall.Hismethodswerereallyoverwhelming.Supposeherfathercouldseeher.Butthekisshadbeenadministeredveryceremoniouslyithadbeenquitecoolingsuchaoneasevenabishopmightfeeljustifiedinapplyingtothebrowofasickpersonorayoungchild.Later,atamoreconvenienttime,whenthepatheticcakewasoutofsight,whenthesewomenwereoutofear-shot,shewouldtellhimshehadn'tmeant.... AmazinglyshefoundherselfadvancingtowardsthecakewithHerrDremmelandstandinginfrontofitwithhimhandinhand.Oh,themischiefpeoplegotintowhocameuptoLondontodentists!Shenowsawwhatprovincialdentistswerefor:theykeptyouinpain,andpainkeptyououtofmischief.Forthefirsttimesheunderstoodwhatherspirithadtillthenrefusedtoaccept,theteachingsopopularwiththeBishopthatpainwasanecessarypartoftheschemeofthings.Ofcourse.Youweresafesolongasyouwereinpain.Inthatconditiontheverynearestyoucouldgettothemostseductivetemptationwastoglanceatitpalely,withasickdistaste.Andyoustayedathome,andweregratefulforkindnesses.Itwasonlywhenyouhadn'tanythingthematterwithyouthatyouranawayfromyourfamilyandwenttoLucerneandtookupwithastrangemanpositivelytotheextentoflettinghimpromisetomarryyou. Somebodycoughedsoclosebehindherthatitmadeherjump.Sheturnedroundnervously,HerrDremmelstillholdingherhand,andbeheldthesevenladiesflockedaboutherforalltheworldlikesevenbridesmaids. Theyhadhastilyconsultedtogetherinwhisperswhileshewasbeingledawaytothecakeastowhethertheyoughtnottocongratulateher.TheirheartsweretouchedbytherespectfulceremonywithwhichHerrDremmelhadconductedhisbetrothal.Ithadhadthesolemnfinalityofamarriage,andwhatwomancanlookonatamarriageunmoved?Theyhadagreedinwhispersthatthiswasoneofthosemomentsinwhichoneletsbygonesbebygones.Thetwoatthealtar—theymeantatthecake—