CHAPTER VII

."LobGottihrChristenallzugleich,"chantedMarie,keepingtimewithherbroom.Hervoicewasloudandmonotonous,butAnnalistenedwithasmile,andwouldhavelikedtojoinin,andsoletsomeofherhappinessfinditswayout. Shedressedquickly.Therewasnohotwater,andnobelltoringforsome,andshedidnotchoosetocalldownfromthewindowandinterruptthehymn,sosheusedcoldwater,assuringherselfthatitwasbracing.Thensheputonherhatandcoatandstoleout,afraidofdisturbingSusie,whowaslyingafewyardsawayfilledwithsmoulderingwrath,anxioustohaveatleastonequiethourbeforebeginningadaythatshefeltsurewasgoingtobeadayofworries."Therewillbegreatpeaceto-nightwhensheisgone,"shethought,andimmediatelyfeltashamedthatsheshouldlookforwardtobeingwithouther."ButIhaveneverbeenwithouthersinceIwasten,"sheexplainedapologeticallytoheroffendedconscience,"andIwanttoseehowIfeel." "GutenMorgen,"saidMarie,asAnnacameintothedrawing-roomonherwayoutthroughitsFrenchwindows. "GutenMorgen,"saidAnnacheerfully. Marieleanedonherbroomandwatchedhergodownthegarden,greedilytakingineverydetailofherclothes,profoundlyinterestedinabeingwhowentoutintothemudwherenobodycouldseeherwithsuchadresson,andwhoseshoeswouldnothavebeentoobigforMarie'ssmallsisteragednine. Theeveningbefore,indeed,Mariehadbeheldsuchavisionasshehadneveryetinherlifeseen,orsomuchasimaginedhernewmistresshadappearedatsupperinwhatwasevidentlyaherrschaftlicheBallkleid,withnakedarmsandshoulders,andtheotherladieswereattiredinmuchthesameway.TheyoungFr?ulein,itistrue,showednobareflesh,butevenshewasarrayedinwhite,andherhairmagnificentlytiedupwithribbons.Mariehadrushedouttotellthecook,andthecook,refusingtobelieveit,hadcarriedinasupererogatorydishofcompotasanexcuseforsecuringtheassuranceofherowneyesandBerthafromthefarm,comingroundwithamessagefromtheFrauOberinspector,hadseenittoothroughthecrackofthekitchendoorastheladiesleftthedining-room,andhadgoneoffbreathlesslytospreadthenewsandthepostcartjustleavingwiththelettershadcarriedittoLohm,andeveryinhabitantofeveryhousebetweenKleinwaldeandStralsundknewallaboutitbeforebedtime."WhatdidItellthee,wife?"saidDellwig,who,inspiteofhissuperioritytothesexthatserved,listenedaseagerlyasanymemberofittogossipandhiswifewasonlytooreadytolabelAnnamadoreccentricasaslightprivateconsolationforhavingpassedoutoftheserviceofacomprehensibleGermangentlemanintothatofawomanandaforeigner. Unconsciousoftheinterestandcuriosityshewasexcitingformilesround,pleasedbyMarie'sartlesspiety,andfilledwithkindlyfeelingstowardsallherneighbours,Annastoodattheendofthegardenlookingoverthelowhedgethatdivideditfromthemarshandthesea,andthoughtthatshehadneverseenaplacewhereitwouldbesoeasytobegood.Completefreedomfromthewearisomeobligationsofsociety,anidealprivacysurroundedbyherwoodsandthewater,ascantypopulationofsimpleanddevotedpeople—didnotDellwigshedtearsattheremembranceofhismaster?—everydayspentherewouldbeadaythatmadeherbetter,thatwouldbringhernearertothatheaveninwhichallgoodandsimplesoulsdweltwhilestillonearth,theheavenofasereneandquietmind.Alwaysshehadlongedtobegood,andtohelpandbefriendthosewhohadthesamelongingbutinwhomithadbeenpartiallycrushedbywantofopportunityandwantofpeace.Thehealthygoodnessthatgoeshandinhandwithhappinesswaswhatshemeantnotthattragicandfutilegoodnessthatgrowsoutofgrief,thatliftsitsheadmiserablyinstonyplaces,thatflourishesinsickroomsandamongdesperatesorrows,andgoestoGodonlybecauseallelseislost.Shewentroundthehouseandcrossedtheroadintotheforest.Thefreshwindblewinherface,andshookdownthedropsfromthebranchesonherasshepassed.Thepineneedlesofotheryearsmadeathickcarpetforherfeet.Thesungleamedthroughthestraighttrunksandwarmedher.Therestlesssighingoverheardinthetreetopsfilledherearswithsweetestmusic."IdobelievetheplaceispleasedthatIhavecome!"shethought,withahappylaugh.Shecametoaclearinginthetrees,openingouttowardsthenorth,andshecouldseetheflatfieldsandthewideskyandthesunshinechasingtheshadowsacrossthevividgreenpatchesthatshehadlearnedwerewinterrye.Aholeatherfeet,whereatreehadbeenuprooted,stillhadsnowinitbutthelarksweresingingaboveintheblue,asthoughfromthosehighplacestheycouldseeSpringfarawayinthesouth,comingupslowlywiththefirstanemonesinherhands,herfaceturnedatlasttowardsthepatientnorth. ThestrangestfeelingofbeingforthefirsttimeinherlifeathomecameoverAnna.Thispoorcountry,howsweetandtouchingitwas.AftertheEnglishcountry,withitsthicklyscatteredvillages,andgardens,andfieldsthatlookedlikeparks,itdidseemverypoorandveryempty,butintenselylovable.Likethefurnitureofherhouse,itstruckherassymbolicinitsbarenessofthesturdiervirtues.Thepeoplewholivedinitmustofnecessitybefrugalandhard-workingiftheywouldliveatall,wrestingbysheerlabourtheirlifefromthesoil,bracedbythelongwinterstoenduranceandself-denial,theirvicesandtheirlanguorsfrozenoutofthemwhethertheywouldorno.AtleastsothoughtAnna,asshestoodgazingoutacrosstheclearingatthefieldsandsky."Couldonenotbegoodhere?Couldonenotbeso,sogood?"shekeptonmurmuring.Thensherememberedthatshehadbeenaskingherselfvaguequestionslikethiseversinceherarrivalandwithasuddendeterminationtofacewhatwasinhermindandthinkitouthonestly,shesatdownonatreestump,buttonedhercoatuptight,forthewindwasblowingfullonher,andfelltoconsideringwhatshemeanttodo. Susiedidnotgodowntobreakfast,butstayedinherbedroomonthesofadrinkingaglassofmilkintowhichanegg