CHAPTER XI

dIngeborg. "Becauseyouwillbeahappymother." "Butdon'thappymothers—" "Youwillbeentirelyengagedinadoringyourchildren.Nothingelseintheworldwillinterestyou." Ingeborgstoodlookingathimwithasurprisedface."Oh?"shesaid."ShallI?"Thensheadded,"ButI'veneverhadanychildren." "Itwasnottobeexpected,"saidHerrDremmel. "Thenhowdoyouknownothingelseintheworldwillinterestme?" "FoolishLittleOne,"hesaid,takingherinhisarms,hiseyesmoistwithtenderness,forheknewthathereagainsthisbreastheheldinherslenderyouththemotherofalltheDremmels,andtheknowledgeprofoundlymovedhim."FoolishLittleOne,isnotthroughoutallnatureeverymothersolelypreoccupiedbyinterestinheryoung?" "Isshe?"saidIngeborgdoubtfully,quiteanumberofrememberedfamilysnapshotsdancingbeforehereyes.Still,shewasverywillingtobelieve. Shelookedathimamomentthinking."But—"shesaid,gentlypushingherselfalittlewayfromhim,bothhandsonhischest. "Butwhatthen,smallsnail?" "Wouldn'ttheybeGermanchildren?" "Undoubtedly,"saidHerrDremmelproudly. "Allofthem?" "Allofthem?"heechoed. "Itwouldn'tbelikeRomanCatholicsandProtestantsmarrying,andhalfthechildrenbeGermanandhalfEnglish?" "Certainlynot,"saidHerrDremmelemphatically. "ButRobert—" "Continue,littlehare." "WhatareGermanchildrenlike?" ItwasnowHerrDremmel'sturntosayconfidently,"You'llsee." AweeklatertheyweremarriedandtheBishop,inscrutablywatchingIngeborgfromthedoorstepasshewasbeingtuckedbydefthandsintotherugsofthecarthatwastotakehertothestation,observinghowcushionswereputintherightplacesatherback,howafootstoolwascarefullyinsertedunderherfeet,howherleastmovementwasinterpretedandinstantlyattendedto,madehisfarewellremarktohisdaughter—thelastremark,asithappened,thatheeverdidmaketoher. "YouwillmissWilson,"hesaidandre-enteredthePalaceaslightlycomfortedman. Sheneversawhimagain.