CHAPTER XI

entallsortsofhorridstoriesaboutyou.Andasforthepastor,whyshouldhebeallowedtotreatyourroomsasthoughtheyweresomanypulpits,andyouasthoughyouhadneverheardoftheApostelPaulus?" Annaadmittedthatshewasnotalwaysintheproperframeofmindfortheseunprovokedsermons,butrefusedtobelieveinthenecessityforturninguphernose.SheostentatiouslypressedManske,theverynexttimehecame,tostaytotheeveningmeal,whichwasratherofthenatureofapicnicinthoseunsettleddays,butatwhich,forLetty'ssake,therewasalwaysapuddingandsheinvitedhimtoeatpuddingthreetimesrunning,andeachtimeheacceptedtheofferandeachtime,whenshehadhelpedhim,shefixedhereyeswithadefiantgravityonTrudi'sface. Axelcameinsometimeswhenhehadbusinessatthefarm,andwasshownwhatprogresshadbeenmade.Trudiwasasinterestedasthoughithadbeenherownhouse,andtookhimabout,demandinghisapprovalandadmirationwithanenthusiasmthatspreadtoAnna,andsheandAxelsoonbecamegoodfriends.TheStralsundwall-papersweresodreadfulthatAnnahaddeclaredshewouldhavemostoftheroomswhitewashedthehallhadbeendone,exchangingitspea-greencoatforoneofvirginpurity,andshehadthoughtitsofreshandclean,andsoappropriatetothesimplicityofthebetterlife,thattotheamazementoftheworkmensheinsistedonthesubstitutionofwhitewashinbothdininganddrawing-roomforthehandsomechocolate-colouredpapersalreadyinthoserooms. "Thetwelvewillthinkitfrightful,"saidTrudi. "Butwhy?"askedAnna,whohadfalleninlovewithwhitewash."Itispurityitself.Itwillbesymbolicaloftheinnocenceandcleanlinessthatwillbeinourheartswhenwehavegotusedtoeachother,andarehappy." Trudilookedagainatthehall,intowhichtheafternoonsunwasstreaming.Itdidlookveryclean,certainly,andexceedinglycheerfulshewassure,however,thatitwouldneverbesymbolicalofanyheartthatcameintoit.ButthenTrudiwasscepticalabouthearts. AttheendofEasterweek,whenTrudiwasbeginningtofeelslightlytiredofwhitewashandscrambledmeals,andtohavedoubtsastothepermanentbecomingnessofaprons,andmisgivingsastotheeffectonhercomplexionofrunningaboutacoldhousealldaylong,answerstotheadvertisementsbegantoarrive,andsoonarrivedinshoals.Theselettersactedasbellowsontheflickeringflameofherzeal.Shefoundthemextraordinarilyentertaining,andwouldmeetManskeinthehallwhenhebroughtthemround,andtakethemoutofhishands,andrunwiththemtoAnna,leavinghimstandingthereuncertainwhetherheoughttostayandbeconsulted,orwhetheritwasexpectedofhimthatheshouldgohomeagainwithouthavingunburdenedhimselfofalltheadvicehefeltthathecontained.HedeploredwhathecalleddasimpulsiveTemperamentoftheGr?fin.Alwayshadshebeenso,sincethedayssheclimbedhischerry-treesandhelpedthebirdstostripthemandwhen,witheveryimaginableprecaution,hehadapproachedherfatheronthesubject,andcarefullyexcludingthewordcherryhintedthattheclimbingoftreeswasaperilouspastimeforyoungladies,oldLohmhadburstintoaloudlaugh,andhadswornthatneitherhenoranyoneelsecoulddoanythingwithTrudi.Heactuallyhadseemedproudthatsheshouldstealcherries,forheknewverywellwhysheclimbedthetrees,andp