CHAPTER IX

nce. Hewouldhavegivenmuchtoknowwhyshewantedthepapers,forsurelyitwasunusualforwomentoreadnewspapers?Whentherewasamurder,oranythingofthatsort,hiswifelikedtoseethem,butnotatothertimes."IsthegraciousMissinterestedinpolitics?"heinquired,asheputseveraltogether. "No,notparticularly,"saidAnna"atleast,notyetinGermanpolitics.Imustliveherealittlewhilefirst." "In—inliterature,perhaps?" "No,notparticularly.IknowsolittleaboutGermanbooks." "Therearesomewell-writtenarticlesoccasionallyonthemodesinladies'dresses." "Really?" "Mywifetellsmesheoftengetshintsfromthemastowhatisbeingworn.Ladies,weknow,"headdedwithasuperiorsmile,checked,however,onhisrememberingthathewaspained,"areinterestedinthesematters." "Yes,theyare,"agreedAnna,smiling,andholdingoutherhandforthepapers. "Ah,then,itisthatthatthegraciousMisswishestoread?"hesaidquickly. "No,notparticularly,"saidAnna,whobegantoseethathetoosufferedfromtheprevailinginquisitiveness.Besides,shewastoomuchafraidofhishavingsisters,orofhiswife'shavingsisters,eagertocomeandbeablessingtoher,totellhimaboutheradvertisement. Onthestepsofhishouse,towhichDellwigaccompaniedthetwogirls,stoodamanwhohadjustgotoffhishorse.Hewaspullingoffhisglovesashewatcheditbeingledawaybyaboy.HehadhisbacktoAnna,andshelookedatitinterested,foritwasunlikeanybackshehadyetseeninKleinwalde,inthatitwasthebackofagentleman. "ItisHerrvonLohm,"saidDellwig,"whohasbusinessherethismorning.SomeofourpeopleunfortunatelydrinktoomuchonholidayslikeGoodFriday,andtherearequarrels.IexplainedtothegraciousonethatheisourAmtsvorsteher." HerrvonLohmturnedatthesoundofDellwig'svoice,andtookoffhishat."Praypresentmetotheseladies,"hesaidtoDellwig,andbowedasgravelytoLettyastoAnna,tohergreatsatisfaction. "Sothisismyneighbour?"thoughtAnna,lookingdownathimfromthehighersteponwhichshestoodwithherpapersunderherarm. "SothisisoldJoachim'sniece,ofwhomhewasalwaystalking?"thoughtLohm,lookingupather."Wiseoldmantoleavetheplacetoherinsteadoftothoseunpleasantsons."Andheproceededtomakeafewconventionalremarks,hopingthatshelikedhernewhomeandwouldsoonbequiteusedtothecountrylife."Itisveryquietandlonelyforaladynotusedtoourkindofcountry,withitsbigestatesandfewneighbours,"hesaidinEnglish."MayItalkEnglishtoyou?Itgivesmepleasuretodoso." "Pleasedo,"saidAnna.Herewasapersonwhomightbeveryhelpfultoherifevershereachedherwits'endandhownicehelooked,howclean,andwhatapleasantvoicehehad,fallingsogratefullyonears