CHAPTER X

adinspector,orazealousstudyofthelatestworkonpotatodiseases. "IseethatBibiBornstedtisstayingwithyourRegierungspr?sident,"Trudihadwrittenalittlewhilebefore."Now,then,isyourchance.Sheisatruegold-fish.YoucannotcontinuetohowloverHildegard'smemoryforever.Bibiwillhavetwohundredthousandmarksayearwhentheoldonesdie,andisquiteadecentgirl.Hernoseisafiasco,butwhenyouhavebeenmarriedaweekyouwillnotsomuchasseethatshehasanose.Andthetwohundredthousandmarkswillstillbethere.Ach,Axel,whatcomfort,whatconsolation,intwohundredthousandmarks!YoucouldputthemostgloriouswreathsonHildegard'stomb,besideskeepingracehorses." Lohmsuddenlyrememberedthisletterashesat,havingfinishedhisown,lookingoutofthewindowattwogirlsinSundaysplendourkissingoneofthestableboysbehindafarmcart.Theywereallthreeapparentlyenjoyingthemselvesverymuch,thegirlslaughing,theboywithanexpressionatonceimbecileandbeatific.Theythoughtthemaster'seyecouldnotseethemthere,butthemaster'seyesawmostthings.Hetookuphispenagainandaddedapostscript."IfyoucomesoonyouwillbeabletoenjoythesocietyofyourfriendBibi.ShecameonWednesday,Ibelieve."Then,feelingslightlyashamedofusingtheinnocentMissBibiasabaittocatchhissister,hewrotetheadvertisementforAnna,andputbothlettersinthepost-bag. Theeffectofhispostscriptwaspreciselytheonehehadexpected.Trudiwasdrinkinghermorningcoffeeinherbedroomattwelveo'clock,whenthelettercame.HerhairwasbeingdonebyaFriseur,anartistinhairdressing,whorodeaboutHanovereverydayonabicycle,hispocketsbulgingoutwithcurling-tongs,andforthreemarksdecoratedtheheadsofTrudiandherfriendswithinnumerablewaves.Trudiwasdevotedtohim,withthedevotionnaturallyfeltforthepersononwhomone'sbeautydepends,forhewasatrueartist,andreallydidworkamazingtransformations."What!YouhaveneverhadHerrJungbluth?"Trudicried,onthelastoccasiononwhichshemetBibi,thedaughterofaHanoverbanker,andquiteoutsidehersetbutfortherichesthatensuredheranenthusiasticwelcomewherevershewent,"aberBibi!"Therewassomuchgenuinesurpriseandcompassioninthis"aberBibi"thattheyoungpersonaddressedfeltasthoughshehadbeenforyearsmissingapossibilityofhappiness.Trudiadded,asaspecialrecommendation,thatJungbluthsmeltofsoap.Hehadcarefullystudiedthenatureofwomen,andifhehadtodowithaprettyonewouldfindanearlyopportunityofgoingintorespectfulrapturesoverwhathedescribedasherklassischesProfilandifitwasawomanwhosefacewasnotallshecouldhavewished,hewouldtellher,inatoneofsubduedenthusiasm,thatherprofile,astowhichshehadlongbeenindoubt,wash?chstinteressant.ThepopularityofthisyoungmaninTrudi'ssetwasenormousandasallthelessaristocraticHanoverianladieshastenedtoimitate,Jungbluthlivedingreatcontentmentandprosperitywithayoungwifewhosehairwasreposefullystraight,andababywhosegodmotherwasTrudi. "Bluewoods!Anemones!"readTrudiwithimmensecontempt."Istheboyinhissenses?Theideaofexpectingmetogotothatdrearyplacenow.Ah,nowIunderstand,"sheadded,turningthepage,"itisBibi—heisreallyafterher,andofcoursecangetalongquickerifIamtheretohelp.ExcellentAxel!Andwhydidhegotothepainsoftrottingouttheanemones?Whatistheuseofnotbeingfrankwithme?Icanseethroughhim,whateverhedoes.Heissogood-naturedthatIamsurehewilllendusheapsofBibi'smoneyoncehehasgotit.So,lieberJungbluth,"shesaidaloud,"thatwilldoto-day.Beautiful—beautiful—betterthanever.Iaminahurry.ItraveltoBerlinthisveryafternoon." AndthenextdayshearrivedatStralsund,andwasmetbyherbrotheratthestation. Shegreetedhimwithenthusiasm."Aswearehere,"shesaid,whentheyweredrivingthroughthetown,"letuspayourrespectstotheRegierungspr?sidentin.Itwillsaveourcominginagainto-morrow." "No,Icannotto-day.Imustgetbackasquicklyaspossible.ThehandshadtheirEasterballyesterday,andwhenIleftLohmthismorninghalfofthemwerestillinbed." "Well,then,thehorseswillhavetodothejourneyagainto-morrow,fornotimeshouldbelost." "Yes,youcancomeinto-morrow,ifyoulongsomuchtoseeyourfriend." "Andyou?"askedTrudi,inatoneofastonishment. "AndI?Iamuptomyearsnowinwork.Lastweekwasthefirstweekforfourmonthsthatwecouldplough.NowwehavelostthesethreedaysatEaster.Icannotspareasinglehour." "But,mydearAxel,BibiisoffargreaterimportanceforthefutureofLohmthananyamountofploughing." "IconfessIdonotseehow." "Idon'tunderstandyou." "Whydidn'tyoubringthelittleboys?" "Whathaveyouaskedmetocomeherefor?" "Come,Trudi,you'venotbeennearmeforeightmonths.Isn'titnaturalthatyoushouldpaymealittlevisit?" "No,itisn'tnaturalatalltocometosuchaplaceinwinter,andleaveallthefunathome.IcamebecauseofBibi." "What!You'llcomeforBibi,butnotforyourownbrother?" "Now,Axel,youknowverywellthatIhavecomeforyouboth." "Forusboth?WhatwouldMissBibisayifsheheardyoutalkingofherselfandofmeas'youboth'?" "Iwishyouwouldnotbothertogoonlikethis.It'sagreatwasteoftime." "Soitis,mydear.AnytalkaboutBib