CHAPTER VII

hadbeenbeaten,andlisteningtoHilton'scriticismsoftheGermannation,deliveredwithmuchvenomwhileshepacked.ButHilton,thoughhercontemptforGermanwayswassogreatastobealmostunutterable,wasreconciledtoamistresswhohadsoquicklygivenintoherwishtobetakenbacktoHillStreet,andthevenomwasofanabstractnature,containingnopersonalstingofunfavourablecomparisonswithduchessessothatSusiewassippinghermilkinafairlyplacidframeofmindwhentherewasaknockatthedoor,andAnnaaskedifshemightcomein. "Oh,yes,comein.Haveyoulookedoutthetrains?" "Yes.There'sonlyonedecentone,andyou'llhavetoleavedirectlyafterluncheon.Won'tyoustay,Susie?You'llbesotired,goinghomewithoutresting." "Can'tweleavebeforeluncheon?" "Yes,ofcourse,ifyouprefertolunchatStralsund." "Much.Haveyouorderedtheshandrydan?" "Yes,forhalf-pastone." "Thenorderitforhalf-pasttwelve.Hiltoncandrivewithme." "SoIthought." "Hasthatwretchbeenrubbingfishoilonitagain?" "Idon'tthinkso,afterwhatIsaidyesterday." "Ishouldn'tthinkwhatyousaidyesterdaycouldhavefrightenedhimmuch.Youbeamedathimasthoughhewereyourbestfriend." "DidI?" Annawaslookingodd,Susiethought,andansweringherremarkswithanervous,abstractedair.Shehadapparentlybeenout,forherdresswasmuddy,andshewasquiterosy,andherhairwasnotsoneatasusual.Shestoodaboutinanundecidedsortofway,andglancedseveraltimesatHiltononherkneesbeforeatrunk. "Isthatallthebreakfastyouaregoingtohave?"sheasked,becomingawareoftheglassofmilk. "Whatotherbreakfastistheretohave?"snappedSusie,whowashungry,andwouldhavelikedagreatdealmore. "Well,theeggsandbutterareverynice,anyway,"saidAnna,quiteevidentlythinkingofotherthings. "Nowwhathasshegotintoherhead?"Susieaskedherself,watchinghersister-in-lawwithmisgiving.Anna'snewmoodswereneverbyanychanceofasorttogiveSusiepleasure.Aloudshesaidtartly,"Ican'teateggsandbutterbythemselves.Ishouldn'thavehadanythingatallifithadn'tbeenforHilton,whowentintothekitchenandmademethisherself." "ExcellentHilton,"saidAnnaabsently."Haven'tyoudonepackingyet,Hilton?" "No,m'm." AnnasatdownontheendofthesofaandbegantotwistthefrillsofSusie'sdressing-gownroundherfingers. "Ihaven'tclosedmyeyesallnight,"saidSusie,puttingonhermartyrlook,"norhasHilton." "Haven'tyou?Whynot?Isleptthesleepofthejust—better,indeed,thananyjustthatIeverheardof." "What,didn'tthatmangointoyourroom?" "Whatman?Oh,yes,MissLeechwastellingmeaboutit.Helitthestoves,didn'the?Ineverheardasound." "Youmusthavesleptlikealogthen.Anyoneintheleastsensitivewouldhavebeenfrightenedoutoftheirsenses.Iwas,andsowasHilton.Iwouldn'tspendanothernightinthishouseforanythingyoucouldgiveme." ItappearedthatSusiereallyhadjustcauseforcomplaint.ShehadbeennervousthenightbeforeafterHiltonhadlefther,unabletosleep,andscaredbythethoughtoftheirdefencelessness—sixwomenaloneinthatwildplace.ShewishedthenwithallherheartthatDellwigdidliveinthehouse.Ratsscamperingaboutintheatticaboveaddedtoherterrors.Thewindshookthewindowsofherroomandhowleddisconsolatelyupanddown.Sheboreitaslongasshecould,whichwaslongerthanmostwomenwouldhaveborneit,andthenknockedonthewalldividingherroomfromHilton's.ButHilton,withthebedclothesoverherheadandallthecandlesshehadbeenabletocollectalight,wouldnothavestirredoutofherroomtosavehermistressfromdyingandSusie,desperateattheprospectoftheawfulhoursroundmidnight,madeonegreateffortofcourageandsalliedouttofetchher.PoorSusie,standingshiveringbeforehermaid'sbolteddoor,scantilyclothed,anxiouslywatchingtheflameofhercandlethatthreatenedeachsecondtobeblownout,aloneonthewide,draughtylanding,frightenedatthesoundofherowncallsminglingweirdlywiththecreakingsandhangingsofthetempest-shakenhouse,wasanobjectdeservingofpity.IttooksomeminutestoinduceHiltontoopenthedoor,andsuchminutesSusiehadnot,inthecourseofanorderedandnormalexistence,yetpassed.TheybothwentintoSusie'sroom,lockedthemselvesin,andHiltonlaydownonthesofaandafteralongtimetheyfellintoanuneasysleep.Athalf-pastthreeSusiestartedupinbedsomeonewastryingtoopenthedoorandknocking.Thecandleshadburntthemselvesout,andshecouldnottellwhattimeitwas,butthoughtitmustbeearlymorningandthattheservantwantedtobringherhotwaterandshewokeHiltonandbadeheropenthedoor.Hiltondidso,gaveafaintscream,andflungherselfbackonthesofa,whereshelayasonedead,herfaceburiedinthepillow.Amanwithalanternandnoshoesonwasatthedoor,andcameinnoiselessly.Susiewasnevernearerfaintinginherlife.Shesatinherbed,hercoldhandsclaspedtightlyroundherknees,hereyesfixedonthisdreadfulapparition,unabletospeakormove,paralysedbyterror.Thiswastheend,then,ofallherhopesandambitions—tocometoPomeraniaanddielikeadog.Thenthesickeningfeelingoffeargavewaytooneofoverwhelmingwrathwhenshefoundthatallthemanwantedwastolightherstove.Onthesameprinciplethatachildisshakenwhohasnotafterallbeenlostorrunover,shewasspeechlesswithragenowthatshefoundthatshewasnot,afterall,tobemurdered.Hewasaveryoldman,andthelightfromthelanterncaststrangereflectionsonhisfaceandfigureashecrouchedbeforethestove.Hemumbledasheworked,talkingtothefirehewasmakingasthoughitwereaperson."Duwillstnicht,brennen,Lump?Was?Na,wartemal!"Andwhenhehadfinished,creptoutagainwithoutglancingattheoccupantsoftheroom,stillmumbling. "It'sthecustomofthecountry,Isuppose,"saidAnna. "Isit?Wellthesoonerwegetoutofsuchacountrythebetter.Youaredeterminedtostayinspiteofeverything?Icantelly