CHAPTER III

edcomparingofsuchwomenwiththosewhoseinterestskeepthembusyintheirownhomesandafinalexhortationtoAnnatoseizethisopportunityofchoosingthebetterlife,whichwasalways,hesaid,alifeofsimplicity,frugality,andhardwork. Annaweptandlaughedtogetheroverthisletter—thetenderestlaughterandthehappiesttears.Itseemedbyturnsthewildestimprobabilitythatsheshouldbewelloff,andthemostnaturalthingintheworld.Susiewasout.Neverhadherabsencebeenterriblebefore.Annacouldhardlybearthewaiting.Shewalkedupanddowntheroom,forsittingstillwasimpossible,holdingthepreciousletterstightinherlittlecoldhands,hercheeksburning,hereyessparkling,inanagonyofimpatienceandanxietylestsomethingshouldhavehappenedtodelaySusieatthissuprememoment.Atthewindowendoftheroomshestoppedeachtimeshereacheditandlookedeagerlyupanddownthestreet,theflower-womenandtheblessednessofsellingdaffodilshavingwithinanhourbecomeprofoundlyindifferenttoher.Attheotherendoftheroom,whereabureaustood,shecametoastandstilltoo,andsnatchingupapenbeganalettertoPeterinDevonshirebut,hearingwheels,threwitdownandflewtothewindowagain.ItwasnotSusie'scarriage,andshewentbacktotheletterandwroteanotherlinethenagaintothewindowthenagaintotheletteranditwastheletter'sturnasSusie,faggedfromaroundofcalls,camein. Susie'safternoonhadnotbeenasuccess.Shehadmadeadvancestoawomanofenviablyhighpositionwiththeintrepiditythatcharacterisedallhersocialmovements,andshehadbeensnubbedforherpainswithmorethanusualrudeness.Shehadhad,besides,severalminorannoyances.Andtocomeinwornout,andhaveyoursister-in-law,whowouldhardlyspeaktoyouatluncheon,fallonyourneckandbeginviolentlytokissyou,isreallyalittlehardonawomanwhoisalreadycross. "Nowwhatinthenameoffortuneisthematternow?"gaspedSusie,breathlesslydisengagingherself. "Oh,Susie!oh,Susie!"criedAnnaincoherently,"whatagesyouhavebeenaway—andtheletterscamedirectlyyouhadgone—andI'vebeenwatchingforyoueversince,andwassodreadfullyafraidsomethinghadhappened——" "Butwhatareyoutalkingabout,Anna?"interruptedSusieirritably.Itwaslate,andshewantedtorestforafewminutesbeforedressingtogooutagain,andherewasAnnainanewmoodofaviolentnature,andshewaswearybeyondmeasureofallAnna'smoods. "Oh,suchawonderfulthinghashappened!"criedAnna"suchawonderfulthing!WhatwillPetersay?Andhowgladyouwillbe——"AndshethrusttheletterswithtremblingfingersintoSusie'sunresponsivehand. "Whatisit?"saidSusie,lookingatthembewildered. "Oh,no—Iforgot,"saidAnna,wildlyasitseemedtoSusie,pullingthemoutofherhandagain."Youcan'treadGerman—seehere——"Andshebegantounfoldthemandsmoothoutthecreasesshehadmade,herhandsshakingvisibly. Susiestared.Clearlysomethingextraordinaryhadhappened,forthefrostyAnnaofthelastfewmonthshadmeltedintoaradianceofemotionthatwouldonlynotberidiculousifitturnedouttobejustified. "TwoGermanletters,"saidAnna,sittingdownonthenearestchair,spreadingthemoutonherlap,andtalkingasthoughshecouldhardlygetthewordsoutfastenough,"onefromUncleJoachim——" "UncleJoachim?"repeatedSusie,adisagreeableandcreepydoubtastoAnna'ssanitycomingoverher."Youknowverywellhe'sdeadandcan'twriteletters,"shesaidseverely. "—andonefromhislawyer,"Annawenton,regardlessofeverythingbutwhatshehadtotell."Thelawyer'sletterisfulloftechnicalwords,difficulttounderstand,butitisonlytoconfirmwhatUncleJoachimsays,andhisisquiteplain.Hewroteitsometimebeforehedied,andleftitwithhislawyertosendontome." Susiewaslisteningnowwithallherears.Lawyers,deceaseduncles,andAnna'ssparklingfacecouldonlyhaveonemeaning. "UncleJoachimwasourmother'sonlybrother——" "Iknow,Iknow,"interruptedSusieimpatiently. "—andwasthedearestandkindestofunclestome——" "Nevermindwhathewas,"interruptedSusiestillmoreimpatiently."Whathashedoneforyou?Tellmethat.Youalwayspretended,bothofyou—Petertoo—thathehadmilesofsandyplacessomewhereinthedesert,anddozensofboys.Whatcouldhedoforyou?" "Doforme?"Annaroseupwithasolemnityworthyofthegreatnewsabouttobeimparted,putbothherhandsonSusie'slittleshoulders,andlookingdownatherwithshiningeyes,saidslowly,"Hehasleftmeanestatebringinginfortythousandmarksayear." "Fortythousand!"echoedSusie,completelyawestruck. "Marks,"saidAnna. "Oh,marks,"saidSusie,chilled."That'sfrancs,isn'tit?Ireallythoughtforamoment——" "They'remorethanfrancs.Itbringsin,onanaverage,twothousandpoundsayear.Two—thousand—pounds—a—year,"repeatedAnna,noddingherheadateachword."Now,Susie,whatdoyouthinkofthat?" "WhatdoIthinkofit?Why,thatitisn'tmuch.Wherewouldyouallhavebeen,Iwonder,ifIhadonlyhadtwothousandayear?" "Oh,congratulateme!"criedAnna,openingherarms."Kissme,andtellmeyouareglad!Don'tyouseethatIamoffyourha