CHAPTER X

ssEstcourtvegetatinginthisquietplacewouldprobablyweargrotesqueanddisconnectedgarments,doubtfulbootsandstrikingstockings,herfigurewouldrapidlygivewaybeforetheinsidiousnessofSchweinebraten,butherhairwouldalwaysbebeautifullydone,eachplaitsmoothandinitsproperplace,eachlittlecurlexactlywhereitoughttobe,thepartingamodelofstraightness,andthewholewelldeservingtobedignifiedbythenameFrisur.Englishgirlshavehair,buttheydonothaveFrisurs." Annacameinthroughtheopenwindow,andTrudi'sfaceexpandedintothemostgenialsmiles."HowgladIamtomakeyouracquaintance!"shecriedenthusiastically.ShespokeEnglishquiteascorrectlyasherbrother,andmuchmoreglibly."IhopeyouwillletmehelpyouifIcanbeofanyuse.Mybrothersaysyourunclewassogoodtohim.WhenIlivedherehewasverykindtometoo.Howbraveofyoutostayhere!Andwhatwonderfulplansyouhavemade!Mybrotherhastoldmeaboutyourtwelveladies.Whatcouragetoundertaketomaketwelvewomenhappy.Ifindithardenoughworkmakingonepersonhappy." "Oneperson?Oh,GrafHasdorf." "Ohno,myself.Yousee,ifeachpersondevotedhisenergiestomakinghimselfhappy,everybodywouldbehappy." "No,theywouldn't,"saidAnna,"becausetheydo,butthey'renot." Theylookedateachotherandlaughed."SheonlyneedsJungbluthtobeperfect,"thoughtTrudiandwithherusualimpulsivenessbeganimmediatelytoloveher. AnnawasdelightedtomeetsomeoneofherownclassandageaftertheseverethoughshortcourseshehadhadofDellwigsandManskesandTrudiwassomuchinterestedinherplans,andsopressinginheroffersofhelp,thatsheverysoonfoundherselftellingherallherdifficultiesaboutservants,sheets,wall-papers,andwhitewash."Lookatthispaper,"shesaid,"couldyouliveinthesameroomwithit?Noonewilleverbeabletofeelcheerfulaslongasitishere.Andtheoneinthedining-roomisworse." "Itisn'tbeautiful,"saidTrudi,examiningit,"butitiswhatwecallpraktisch." "ThenIdon'tlikewhatyoucallpraktisch." "NeitherdoI.Allthehideousthingsarepraktisch—oil-cloth,blackwall-papers,handkerchiefsayardsquare,thickboots,uglywomen—ifeveryouhearawomanpraisedasapraktischeFrau,besureshe'sfrightfulineveryway—uglyanddull.Theugliersheisthepraktischersheis.Oh,"saidTrudi,castinguphereyes,"howterrible,howtragic,tobeanuglywoman!"Then,bringinghergazedownagaintoAnna'sface,sheadded,"MyflatinHanoverisallpinksandblues—themostbecomingroomsyoucanimagine.Ilooksoniceinthem." "Pinksandblues?ThatisjustwhatIwanthere.Can'tIgetanyinStralsund?" Trudiwasdoubtful.ShecouldnotthinkitpossiblethatanybodyshouldevergetanythinginStralsund. "ButImustdomyshoppingthere.Iaminsuchahurry.Itwouldbedreadfultohavetokeepanyonewaitingonlybecausemyhouseisn'tready." "Well,wecantry,"saidTrudi."Youwillletmegowithyou,won'tyou?" "Ishallbemorethangratefulifyouwillcome." "Whatdoyouthinkifwewentnow?"suggestedTrudi,alwaysforpromptaction,andquicklytiredofsittingstill."MybrothersaidImightdriveintoStralsundto-dayifIliked,andIhavethecobsherenow.Don'tyouthinkitwouldbeagoodthing,asyouareinsuchahurry?" "Oh,averygoodthing,"exclaimedAnna."Howkindyouare!Youaresureitwon'tboreyoufrightfully?" "Oh,notabit.Itwillberatheramusingtogointothoseshopsforonce,andIshallliketofeelthatIhavehelpedthegoodworkonalittle." AnnathoughtTrudidelightful.Trudi'snewfriendsalwaysdidthinkherdelightfulandsheneverhadanyoldones. Shedroverecklessly,andtheylurchedandheavedthroughthesandbetweenKleinwaldeandLohmatanalarmingrate.TheypassedLettyandMissLeech,goingfortheirafternoonwalk,whostoodononesideandstared. "Who'sthat?"askedTrudi. "Mybrother'slittlegirlandhergoverness." "Ohyes,Iheardaboutthem.Theyaretostayandtakecareofyoutillyouhaveacompanion.Yoursister-in-lawdidn'tlikeKleinwalde?" "No." Trudilaughed. TheypassedDellwig,riding,whosweptoffhishatwithhiscustomarydeference,andstared. "Doyoulikehim?"askedTrudi. "Who?" "Dellwig.IknowhimfromthedaysbeforeImarried." "Idon'tknowhimverywellyet,"saidAnna,"butheseemstobevery—verypolite." Trudilaughedagain,andcrackedherwhip. "Myunclehadgreatfaithinhim,"saidAnna,slightlyaggrievedbythelaugh. "YourunclewasoneofthebestfarmersinGermany,Ihavealwaysheard.Hewassoexperienced,andsoclever,thathecouldhaveledahundredDellwigsroundbythenose.Dellwigwasnaturallyquitesmall,aswesay,inthepresenceofyouruncle.Heknewverywellitwouldbeuselesstobeanythingbutimmaculateundersuchamaster.Perhapsyourunclethoughthewouldgoonbeingimmaculatefromsheerhabit,withnobodytolookafterhim." "Isupposehedid,"saidAnnadoubtfully."Hetoldmetokeephim.It'squitecertainthatIcan'tlookafterhim." TheypassedAxelLohm,alsoriding.HewasonTrudi'ssideoftheroad.HelookedpleasedwhenhesawAnnawithhissister.Trudiwhippedupthecobs,regardlessofhisfeelings,andtorepasthim,scatteringthesandrightandleft.Whenshewasabreastofhim,shewinkedhereyeathimwithperfectsolemnity. Axellookedstony.