CHAPTER III

ndsatlast?Thatweneedneverthinkabouthusbandsagain?Thatyouwillneverhavetobuymeanymoreclothes,andnevertireyourpoorlittleselfoutanymoretrottingmeround?Idon'tknowwhichofusistobecongratulatedmost,"sheaddedlaughing,lookingatSusiewithhereyesfulloftears.Thensheinsistedonkissingheragain,andmurmuredfoolishthingsinherearaboutbeingsosorryforallherhorridways,andsogratefultoher,andsodeterminednowtobegoodforeverandever. "MydearAnna,"remonstratedSusie,whodislikedsentimentandneverknewhowtorespondtoexhibitionsoffeeling."OfcourseIcongratulateyou.Italmostseemsasifthrowingawayone'schancesinthewayyouhavedonewastherightthingtodo,andisbeingrewarded.Don'tletuswastetime.Youknowwegoouttodinner.WhathasheleftPeter?" "Peter?"saidAnnawonderingly. "Yes,Peter.Hewashisnephew,Isuppose,justasmuchasyouwerehisniece." "Well,butSusie,Peterisdifferent.He—hedoesn'tneedmoneyasIdoandofcourseUncleJoachimknewthat." "Nonsense.Hehasn'tgotapenny.Letmelookattheletters." "They'reinGerman.Youwon'tbeabletoreadthem." "Givethemtome.IlearnedGermanatschool,andgotaprize.You'renottheonlypersonintheworldwhocandothings." ShetookthemoutofAnna'shand,andbeganslowlyandpainfullytoreadtheonefromUncleJoachim,determinedtoseewhethertherereallywasnomentionofPeter.Annalookedon,hotandcoldbyturnswithfrightlestbysomechanceherearlystudiesshouldnotafterallhavebeenquiteforgotten. "Here'ssomethingaboutPeter—andme,"Susiesaidsuddenly."Atleast,Isupposehemeansme.ItissomethingDobbs.Whydoeshecallmethat?Ithasn'tbeenmynameforfifteenyears." "Oh,it'ssomesillyGermanway.HesaysthegeboreneDobbs,todistinguishyoufromotherLadyEstcourts." "Buttherearenoothers." "Oh,well,hissisterwasone.Givemetheletter,Susie—Icantellyouwhathesaysmuchmorequicklythanyoucanreadit." "'UnterderWürdeeinerjüngeDameausguterFamilie,'"readoutSusieslowly,notheedingAnna,andwiththemostexcruciatingpronunciationthatwaseverheard,"'sichewigaufdenFedern,mitwelchendiebürgerlicheGansgeboreneDobbsPeterssonstmangelhaftesNestausgestattethat,zuw?lzen.'Whatstuffhewrites.Icanhardlyunderstandit.YetImusthavebeengoodatitatschool,togettheprize.WhatisthatbitaboutmeandPeter?" "Whichbit?"saidAnna,blushingscarlet."Letmelook."Shegottheletterbackintoherpossession."Oh,that'swherehesaysthat—thathedoesn'tthinkitfairthatIshouldbeaburdenforeveronyouandPeter." "Well,that'ssensibleenough.Theoldmanhadsomesenseinhimafterall,absurdthoughhewas,andvulgar.Itisn'tfair,ofcourse.Idon'tmeantosayanythingdisagreeable,orthrowallIhavedoneforyouinyourface,butreally,Anna,fewmotherswouldhavemadethesacrificesIhaveforyou,andasforsisters-in-law—well,I'djustliketoseeanother." "DearSusie,"saidAnnatenderly,puttingherarmroundher,readytoacknowledgeall,andmorethanall,thebenefitsshehadreceived,"youhavebeenonlytookindandgenerous.IknowthatIoweyoueverythingintheworld,andjustthinkhowlovelyitisformetofeelthatnowIcantakemyweightoffyourshoulders!Youmustcomeandlivewithmenow,wheneveryouaresickofthings,andI'llfeelsoproud,havingyouinmyhouse!" "Livewithyou?"exclaimedSusie,drawingherselfaway."Whereareyougoingtolive?" "Why,there,Isuppose." "Livethere!Isthatacondition?" "No,butUncleJoachimkeepsonsayinghehopesIwill,andthatI'llsettledownandlookaftertheplace." "Lookaftertheplaceyourself?Howsilly!" "Yes,youhaven'ttaughtmemuchaboutfarming,haveyou?HewantsmetoturnquiteintoaGerman." "Goodgracious!"criedSusie,genuinelyhorrified. "HeseemstothinkthatIoughttowork,andnotspendmylifetalkingKlatsch." "Talkingwhat?" "It'swhatGermanwomenapparentlytalkwhentheygettogether.Wedon't.I'dneverdoanythingwithsuchanuglyname,andI'mpositiveyouwouldn't." "Whereisthisplace?" "NearStralsund." "Andwhereonearthisthat?" "Ah,"saidAnna,investigatingcobwebbycornersofhermemory,"that'swhatIshouldliketobeabletoremember.Perhaps,"sheaddedhonestly,"Ineverknew.LetmecallLetty,andaskhertobringheratlas." "Lettywon'tknow,"saidSusieimpatiently,"sheonlyknowsthethingssheoughtn'tto." "Oh,sheisn'taswiseasallthat,"saidAnna,ringingthebell."Anyhowshehasmaps,whichismorethanwehave." AservantwassenttorequestMissLettyEstcourttoattendinthedrawing-roomwithheratlas. "Whatever'sinthewindnow?"inquiredLetty,open-mouthed,ofhergoverness."They'renotgoingtoexaminemethistimeofnight,arethey,Leechy?"Forshesufferedgreatlyfromhavingabrotherwhowasalwayspassingexaminationsandcomingouttop,andwasconsequentlysubjectedherself,byanambitiousmotherwhowassurethatshemustbeequallycleverifshewouldonlyletherselfgo,toeveryexaminationthathappenedtobegoingforgirlsofheragesothatsheand