CHAPTER X

Hesenttheadvertisementbytheeveningposttotwoorthreeofthebestnewspapers.Hehadseenthepastoraftermorningchurch,whohadatoncepouredintohisearsallaboutAnna'stwelveladies,garnishingthestorywithinterjectionswarmlyappreciativeoftheactionofProvidenceinthematter.Lohmhadbeenconsiderablyastonished,buthadsaidlittleitwasnothiswaytosaymuchatanytimetotheparson,andtheecstasiesaboutthenewneighbourjarredonhim.MissEstcourt'sneedofadvicemusthavebeendesperateforhertohaveconfidedinManske.Heappreciatedhisgoodqualities,buthisfamilyhadneverbeenintimatewiththeparsonperhapsbecausefromtimeimmemorialtheLohmshadbeenchieflymales,andtheattitudeofmaleGermanstowardsparsonsis,atitsbest,oneofindulgence.ThisLohmrestrictedhisdealingswithhim,ashisfatherhaddonebeforehim,tothenecessarydeliberationsonthetreatmentofthesickandpoor,andtoofficialmeetingsintheschoolhouse.Hewasinvariablykindtohim,andlentaswillinganearashisslenderpurseallowedtoapplicationsforassistancebuttheideaofdiscussingspiritualexperienceswithhim,or,intimesofpersonalsorrow,ofdwellingconversationallyonhisgriefs,wouldneverhaveoccurredtohim.TheeasyfamiliaritywithwhichManskespokeoftheDeityoffendedhistaste.Thesethings,thesesacredandawfulmysteries,werethesecretsbetweenthesoulanditsGod.Noman,thoughtLohm,shoulddaretotouchwithprofanequestioningtheveilshroudinghisneighbour'sinnerlife.Manske,however,knewnofearandnocompunction.Hewouldaskthemosttremendousquestionsbetweentwomouthfulsofpudding,backinghimselfupwiththewholeauthorityoftheLutheranChurch,besidestheScripturesandifthepoorpeopleandthepartlyeducatedlikedit,andwereedified,andenjoyedstirringupandtalkingovertheirreligiousemotionsalmostasmuchastheydidthelatestvillagescandal,Lohm,whohadnotasteeitherforscandaloremotions,kepttheparsonatarm'slength. HethoughtagooddealaboutwhatManskehadtoldhimduringtheafternoon.Shehadgonetotheparson,then,forhelp,becausetherewasnooneelsetogoto.Poorlittlething.HecouldimaginethesortofspeechesManskehadmadeher,andthesortofadvertisementhewouldhavetoldhertowrite.Poorlittlething.Well,whathecoulddowastoputherinthewayofgettingacompanionasquicklyaspossible,andaverysensible,capablewomanitoughttobe.Nowondershewasnottobepasthardwork.Worktherewouldcertainlybe,withtwelvewomeninthehouseundergoingtheprocessofbeingmadehappy.Lohmcouldnothelpsmilingattheplan.HethoughtofMissEstcourtcourageouslytryingtodemolishthecrustofdejectionthathadformedinthecourseofyearsovertheheartsofherpatients,andhetrustedthatshewouldnotexhaustherownyouthandjoyousnessintheeffort.Perhapsshewouldsucceed.Hedidnotrememberhavingheardofanyschemequiteanalogous,andpossiblyshewouldoverrideallobstaclesintriumph,andthepatientswhoenteredherhomewiththeburdenoftheirpastmiseryheavyuponthem,woulddevelopinthesunshineofherpresenceintotwelveriotouslyjovialladies.Butwouldnotsheherselfsuffer?Wouldnotherownstrengthandhopefulnessbesappedupbythoseshebenefited?Hecouldnotthinkthatitwouldbetotheadvantageoftheworldatlargetosubstitutetwelve,nayfifty,nayanynumberofjollyoldladies,foronegirlwithsuchsweetandjoyouseyes. This,ofcourse,wasthepurelymasculinepointofview.Thewomentobebenefited—whyhethoughtofthemasoldisnotclear,foryouneednotbeoldtobeunhappy—wouldhaveprotested,probably,withindignantcriesthatindividuallytheywerewellworthMissEstcourt,inanycasewereeverybitasgoodasshewas,andcollectively—oh,absurd. HethoughtofhissisterTrudi.Perhapssheknewofsomeonewhowouldbebothkindandclever,andprotectMissEstcourtinsomemeasurefromthetwelve.Trudi'sfriends,itistrue,werenotthesortamongwhomstaidcompanionsarefound.Theirhusbandswerechieflylieutenants,andtheyspenttheirtimeatraces.TheylivedinflatsinHanover,wheretheregimentwasquartered,andflatsareeasytomanage,andnoneoftheseyoungwomenwouldendure,hesupposed,tohaveanelderlycompanionalwayshanginground.Still,therewasaremotepossibilitythatsomeoneofthemmightbeabletorecommendasuitableperson.IfTrudiwerestayingwithhimnowshewouldbeagreathelpnotsomuchbecauseofwhatshewoulddo,butbecausehecouldgowithhertoKleinwalde,andMissEstcourtcouldcometohishousewhenshewantedanything,andneednotdependsolelyontheparson.Itwashisduty,consideringoldJoachim'sunchangingkindnesstowardshim,andthepainstheoldmanhadtakentohelphiminthemanagementofhisestate,andtoencouragehimatatimewhenhegreatlyneededhelpandencouragement,todoallthatlayinhispowerforoldJoachim'sniece.Whenheheardthatshewascominghehaddecidedthatthiswashisplainduty:thatshewassopretty,soadorablyprettyandsimpleandfriendlyonlymadeitanunusuallypleasantone."IwillwritetoTrudi,"hethought,"andaskhertocomeoverforaweekortwo." Hesatdownathiswriting-tableinthebigwindowoverlookingthefarmyard,andbegantheletter.ButhefeltthatitwouldbeabsurdtoaskhertocomeonMissEstcourt'saccount.WhyshouldshedoanythingforMissEstcourt,andwhyshouldhewanthissistertodoanythingforher?Thatwouldbethefirstthingthatwouldstri