CHAPTER VI

ie,broughtinalampwithagreenshade,shuttheshutters,andwentoutagainontiptoeandAnnasettledherselftolistenwithwhatpatienceshecouldtotheloudvoicethatjarredsoonhernerves,fortifyingherselfwithremindersthatitwasherduty,andreallytakingpainstounderstandhim.Nordidshesayaword,asshehaddonetothelawyer,thatmightleadhimtosupposeshedidnotintendlivingthere. ButDellwig'sceaselessflowoftalksoonweariedhertosuchanextentthatshefoundsteadyattentionimpossible.Tounderstandthemerewordswasinitselfaneffort,andshehadnotyetlearnedtheGermanforryeandoatsandtherest,anditwasofthesethathechieflytalked.Whatwastheuseofexplainingtoherinwhatwayhehadploughedandmanuredandsowncertainfields,howtheylay,howbigtheywere,andwhattheirsoilwas,whenshehadnotseenthem?Didheimaginethatshecouldkeepallthesefiguresanddetailsinherhead?"Iknownothingoffarming,"shesaidatlast,"andshallunderstandyourplansbetterwhenIhaveseentheestate." "Natürlich,natürlich,"shoutedDellwig,hisvoiceinstrangestcontrasttohers,whichwasparticularlysweetandgentle."HereIhaveamap—doesthegraciousMisspermitthatIshowit?" ThegraciousMissinclinedhertiredhead,andheunrolleditandspreaditoutonthetable,pointingwithhisfatforefingerasheexplainedtheboundaries,andthedivisionsintoforest,pasture,andarable. "Itseemstobenearlyallforest,"saidAnna. "Forest!Theforestcoverstwo-thirdsoftheestate.Itistheonlyforestontheentirepromontory.SuchcareasIhavebestowedontheforesthasseldombeenseen.Itisgrossartig—colossal!"Andheliftedhishandsthebettertoexpresshisadmiration,andwasabouttogointolengthyraptureswhenthemaprolleditselfupagainwithloudcracklings,andcuthimshort.Hespreaditoutoncemore,andsecuringitscornersbegantodescribetheeffectsofthevarioussortsofartificialmanureonthedifferentcrops,hisclevernessincombiningthem,andhislatesttriumphantdiscoveryofthesuperlativemixturethatwastostrikeallPomeraniawithawe. "Ja,"saidAnna,balancingapaper-knifeononefinger,andprofoundlybored."Whoselandisthatnexttomine?"sheasked,pointing. "Thelandonthenorthandwestbelongstopeasants,"saidDellwig."Ontheeastisthesea.OnthesouthitisallLohm.ThegraciousonepassedthroughthevillageofLohmthisafternoon." "Thevillagewheretheschoolis?" "Quitecorrect.Thepastor,HerrManske,aworthyman,but,likeallpastors,takingellswhenheisofferedinches,servesboththatchurchandthelittleoneinKleinwaldevillage,ofwhichthegraciousMissispatroness.HerrvonLohm,wholivesinthehousestandingbackfromtheroad,andperhapsnoticedbythegraciousMiss,isAmtsvorsteherinbothvillages." "WhatisAmtsvorsteher?"askedAnna,languidly.Shewasleaningbackinherchair,idlybalancingthepaper-knife,andlisteningwithhalfanearonlytoDellwig,throwinginquestionseverynowandthenwhenshethoughtsheoughttosaysomething.Shedidnotlookathim,preferringmuchtolookatthepaper-knife,andhecouldexamineherfaceathiseaseintheshadowofthelamp-shade,herdarkeyelasheslowered,herprofileonlyturnedtohim,withitsdelicatelineofbrowandnose,andthesoftandgraciouscurvesofthemouthandchinandthroat.Onehandlayonthetableinthecircleoflight,aslender,beautifulhand,fullofcharacterandenergy,andtheotherhunglistlesslyoverthearmofthechair.Annawasverytired,andshoweditineverylineofherattitudebutDellwigwasnottiredatall,wasusedtotalking,enjoyedatalltimesthesoundofhisvoice,andonthisoccasionfeltittobehisdutytomakethingsclear.SohewentintothelengthiestdetailsastothenatureandofficeofAmtsvorstehers,detailsthatwereperfectlyincomprehensibleandwhollyindifferenttoAnna,andsparedneitherhimselfnorher.Whilehetalked,however,hewascriticisingher,comparingthelazinessofherattitudewiththebriskandrespectfulalertnessofotherwomenwhenhetalked.Heknewthattheseotherwomenbelongedtoadifferentclasshiswife,theparson'swife,thewivesoftheinspectorsonotherestates,thesewerenot,ofcourse,inthesamesphereasthenewmistressofKleinwaldebutshewasonlyawoman,anddressupawomanasyouwill,callherbywhatnameyouwill,sheisnothingbutawoman,borntohelpandserve,neverbyanypossibilityevenequaltoaclevermanlikehimself.OldJoachimmighthaveloungedashechose,andputhisfeetonthetableifithadseemedgoodtohim,andDellwigwouldhaveaccepteditwithunquestioningrespectasaneccentricityofHerrschaftenbutawomanhadnosortofright,hesaidtohimself,whilehesofluentlydiscoursed,toletherselfgointhepresenceofhernaturalsuperior.Unfortunately,oldJoachim,solevel-headedanoldgentlemaninallotherrespects,hadplacedthepoweroverhisfortunesinthehandsofthisweakfemaleleaningbacksounbecominglyinherchair,playingwiththeobjectsonthetable,neverraisinghereyestohis,andshowingindeed,incredibleasitseemed,everysymptomofthinkingofsomethingelse.Thewomenofhisacquaintancewere,hewascertain,worthindividuallyfiftysuchaffected,indifferentyoungladies.Theyworkedearlyandlatetomaketheirhusbandscomfortabletheywerewellpractisedineveryartrequiredofwomenlivinginthecountrytheyweremodelsofthriftanddiligenceyet,withalltheirvirtuesandalltheiraccomplishments,theyneverdreamedofloungingornotlisteningwhenamanwasspeaking,butsatattentivelyontheedgeoftheirchairs,straightinthebackandseemly,andwhenhehadfinishedsaidJawohl. Annacertainlydidsitverymuchatherease,andinsteadofattending,assheoughttohavedone,tohisdescriptionofAmtsvorstehers,wasthinkingofotherthings.Dellwighadthicklipsthatcouldnotbehiddenentirelybyhisgrizzledmoustacheandbeard,andhehadthesortofeyesknowntotheinelegantbuttruthfulasfishy,andabigobstinatenose,andanarrowobstinateforehead,andalongbodyandshortlegsandthoughallthis,Annatoldherself,wasnotintheleasthisfaultandshouldnotinanywayprejudiceheragainsthim,shefeltthatshewasjustifiedinwishingthathismannerswerelessoffensive,lessboastfulandboisterous,andthathedidnotbitehisnails."Iwonder,"shethought,her