CHAPTER III

ts,wheretheycannotbegotat?Assoonasthechilblainswent,theSaturdayconcertsleftoff,anditseemedasthoughFatehadnothingbettertodothantobespiteful. Itwasindeedadreadfulthing,thoughtLetty,asshebentoverthemapofGermany,tobeyoungandtohavetobemadecleveratallcosts.Herewasheraunteven,herpretty,kindaunt,askinghergeographyquestionsatseveno'clockatnight,whenshethoughtthatshehadreallydonewithlessonsforonemoreday,andhadbeensomuchenjoyingLeechy'sdescriptionoftheonlymansheeverloved,whileshecomfortablytoastedcheeseattheschoolroomfire.Anna,whospentsuchloftyhoursofspiritualexaltationatSt.Paul's,andcameawaywithhersoulmeltedintopityfortheunhappy,andyearnedwithherwholebeingtohelpthem,neverthoughtofLettyasacreaturewhomightperhapsbehelpedtocheerfulnesswithalittletrouble.Lettywastoocloseathandandenthusiasticphilanthropists,castingaboutforobjectsofcharity,seldomseewhatisattheirfeet. ItwassodifficulttofindStralsundthatbythetimeLetty'swanderingfingerhadpauseduponitSusiecouldonlygiveoneglanceofhorroratitsposition,andhurryawaywithAnnatodress.Anna,too,wouldhavepreferredittobefarthersouth,intheBlackForest,orsomeotherromanticregion,whereitwouldhaveamusedhertogooccasionally,atleast,forafewweeksinthesummer.Butthereitwas,asfarnorthasitcouldbe,inapartoftheworldshehadhardlyheardof,exceptinconnectionwithdogs. Itdidnot,however,matterwhereitwas.UncleJoachimhadmerelyrecommendedandnotenjoined.Itwouldberatherextraordinaryforhertogothereandsetuphousekeepingalone.Sheneednotgoshewasalmostsureshewouldnotgo.Anyhowtherewasnonecessitytodecideatonce.Themoneywaswhatshewanted,andshecouldspenditwhereshechose.LetUncleJoachim'sinspector,ofwhomhewroteinsuchpraise,goongettingfortythousandmarksayearoutoftheplace,andshewouldbeperfectlycontent. Sheranupstairstoputonherprettiestdress,andtohaveherhairdoneinthecurlsandwavesshehadsolongeschewed.Shouldshenotmakeherselfascharmingaspossibleforthischarmingworld,whereeverybodywassogoodandkind,andaddhermeasureofbeautyandkindnesstotherest?ShebeamedonLettyasshepassedheronthestairs,climbingslowlyupwithherbigatlas,andtookitfromherandwouldcarryitherselfshebeamedonMissLeech,whowaswatchingforherpupilattheschoolroomdoorshebeamedonhermaid,shebeamedonherownreflectionintheglass,whichindeedatthatmomentwasthatofaverybeautifulyoungwoman.Ohhappy,happyworld!Whatshouldshedowithsomuchmoney?She,whohadneverhadapennyinherlife,thoughtitanenormous,aninexhaustiblesum.Onethingwascertain—itwasalltobespentindoinggoodshewouldhelpasmanypeoplewithitasshepossiblycould,andnever,never,neverletthemfeelthattheywereunderobligations.Didshenotknow,afterfifteenyearsofdependenceonSusie,whatitwasliketobeunderobligations?Andwhatwasmorecruellysadandcrushinganddeadeningthandependence?Shedidnotyetknowwhatsortofpeopleshewouldhelp,orinwhatwayshewouldhelp,butoh,shewasgoingtomakeheapsofpeoplehappyforever!WhileHiltonwascurlingherhair,shethoughtofslumsbutrememberedthattheywouldbringherintocontactwiththeclergy,andmostofheroffersoflatehadbeenfromtheclergy.Eventhevicarwhohadpreparedherforconfirmation,hisfirstwifebeingthenalive,andasecondhavingsincebeenmourned,hadwantedtomarryher."It'sbecauseIamtwenty-fiveandstaidthattheythinkmesuitable,"shethoughtbutshecouldnothelpsmilingatthefaceintheglass. Whenshewasdressedandreadytogodownshewasforcedtoaskherselfwhetherthepersonthatshesawintheglasslookedintheleastlikeapersonwhowouldeverleadthesimple,frugal,hard-workinglifethatUncleJoachimhadcalledthebetterlife,andinwhichheseemedtothinkshewouldalonefindcontentment.Certainlysheknewhimtobeverywise.Well,nothingneedbedecidedyet.Perhapsshewouldgo—perhapsshewouldnot."It'sthiswhitedressthatmakesmelookso—sounsuitable,"shesaidtoherself,"andHilton'swonderfulwaves." Andshewentdownstairstryingnottosing,thesweetestoffemininecreatures,happinessandloveandkindnessshininginhereyes,alovelythingsavedfromtheblightofemptyyears,andbroughtbacktobeauty,byUncleJoachim'stimelyinterference. LettyandMissLeechheardthesinging,andstoppedinvoluntarilyintheirconversation.Itwasastrangesoundinthatdullandjoylesshouse. "Idon'tknowwhat'sthematter,Leechy,"Lettyhadsaid,onherreturnfromthedrawing-room,"butmammaandAuntAnnaaretooweirdto-nightforanything.Whatdoyouthinktheyhadmedownfor?Theydidn'tknowwhereStralsundwas,andwantedtofindout.TheypretendedtheywantedtoseeifIknew,butIsoonsawthroughthatgame.AndAuntAnnalooksfrightfullyhappy.Ibelieveshe'sgoingtobemarried,andwantstogotoStralsundforthehoneymoon." AndLettytookuphertoastingfork,whileMissLeech,asindutybound,refreshedherpupil'smemoryinregardtoStralsundandWallensteinandtheHansacitiesgenerally.