CHAPTER XIII

WhatthePrincessLudwigthoughtofhernewplaceitwouldbedifficulttosay.Sheacceptedherpositionasministertothecomfortsofthehithertocomfortlesswithoutremarkandentirelyasamatterofcourse.Shegotupathoursexemplaryintheirearliness,andwasaboutthehouserattlingabunchofkeysalldaylong.Shewaswhollypractical,andasdestituteofillusionsasshewasofeducationintheordinarysense.HerknowledgeofGermanliteraturewashardlymoreextensivethanLetty's,andofothertonguesandotherliteraturessheknewandcarednothing.Asforillusions,shesawthingsastheyare,andhadneveratanyperiodofherlifepossessedenthusiasms.Norhadshetheleasttasteforhiddenmeaningsandsymbols.Maeterlinck,ifshehadheardofhim,wouldhavebeendismissedbyherwithaneasysmile.Anna'swhitewashtoherwaswhitewashadisagreeablebuteconomicalwall-covering.Sheknewandapprovedofitascheaphowcouldshedreamthatitwasalsosymbolic?Sheneverdreamedatall,eithersleepingorwaking.Ifbysomechanceshehadfallenintomusings,shewouldhavemusedbloodandiron,thesuperiorityoftheGermannation,cookeryinitsthreeformsfeine,bürgerliche,andHausmannskost,inallwhichformsshewaspre?minentinskill—shewouldhavemused,thatis,onfacts,plainandundisputed.Ifshehadhadchildrenshewouldhavemadeanexcellentmotherasitwasshemadeexcellentcakes—alsoaformofactivitytobecommended.ShewasaDettingenbeforehermarriage,andtheDettingensareoneoftheoldestPrussianfamilies,andhaveproducedmorefirst-ratesoldiersandstatesmenandalargernumberofmothersofgreatmenthananyotherfamilyinthatpart.ThePenheimsandDettingenshadintermarriedcontinually,anditwastohismother'sDettingenbloodthatthefirst[German:Fürst]Penheimowedtheenergythatprocuredhimhiselevation.PrincessLudwigwasagoodexampleofthebesttypeoffemaleDettingen.Likemanyotherilliterates,shepridedherselfparticularlyonhersturdycommonsense.Regardingthisquality,whichshepossessed,asmorepreciousthanotherswhichshedidnotpossess,shewasnotlikelytosympathisemucheitherwithAnna'splanformakingpeoplehappy,orwiththosewhowerewillingtobemadehappyinsuchaway.Asensiblewoman,shethought,willalwaysfindwork,andneednotlookfarforahome.Sheherselfhadbeenhandicappedinthesearchbyherunfortunatetitle,yetwithpatienceevenshehadfoundahaven.Onlythelazyandlackadaisical,themorallyworthless,thatis,would,shewasconvinced,acceptsuchanofferasAnna's.Itwasnot,however,herbusiness.HerbusinesswastolookafterAnna'shouseandshediditwithazealandthoroughnessthatstruckterrorintotheheartsofthemaid-servants.Trudi'sfitfulenergywasnothingtoit.Trudihadintroducedworkmenandchaostheprincess,witharapidityandskilllittleshortofamazingtoanyoneunacquaintedwiththecapabilitiesofthewell-trainedGermanHausfrau,clearedouttheworkmenandreducedthechaostoorder.Withinthreeweeksthehousewasready,andAnna,palpitating,sawthemomentapproachingwhenthefirstbatchofunhappyonesmightbereceived. Manske'stimewasentirelytakenupwritinglettersofinquiryconcerningtheapplicants,anditwassurprisinginwhathugebatchestheyhadtobeweededout.Offiftyapplicationsreceivedinoneday,threeorfour,afterdu