CHAPTER XIV

lowinginherheart.HerdefectiveGermanforsookheralmostcompletely.Shedidnothingbutrepeatdisconnectedejaculations,"soreizend—soglücklich—soerfreut——"andfillinthegapswithhappy,quiveringsmilesateachinturn,andtimidlittlepatsonanyhandwithinherreach. Lettymeanwhilestoodintheshadowofthedoorway,wishingthatshewereyoungenoughtosuckherthumb.Itkeptongoinguptohermouthofitsownaccord,andshekeptonpullingitdownagain.Thiswasoneoftheoccasions,shefelt,whenthesuckingofthumbsisareliefandablessing.Itgivesone'ssuperfluoushandsoccupation,andoneselfacountenance.Sheshiftedfromonefoottotheotheruneasily,andheldontighttotherebelliousthumb,forthetallladywhohadgotoutfirstwasfixingherwithastarethatchilledherblood.Thetalllady,whowasverytallandthin,andhadroundunblinkingdarkeyessetclosetogetherlikeanowl's,andstronglymarkedblackeyebrows,saidnothing,butexaminedherslowlyfromthetipofthebowofribbontremblingonherheadtothebucklesoftheshoescreakingonherfeet.Oughtshetooffertoshakehandswithher,oroughtshetowaittobeshakenhandswith,Lettyaskedherselfdistractedly.Anyhowitwasratherrudetostarelikethat.Shehadalwaysbeentaughtthatitwasrudetostarelikethat. Annahadforgottenallabouther,andonlyrememberedherwhentheywereinthedrawing-roomandshehadbeguntopouroutthecoffee."Oh,Letty,whereareyou?Thisismyniece,"shesaidandLettywasatlastshakenhandswith. "Ah—shekeepsyoucompany,"saidthebaroness."Youfounditlonelyhere,naturally." "Ohno,Iamneverlonely,"saidAnnacheerfully,fillingthecupsandgivingthemtoLettytocarryround. "Howpleasanttheairisto-day,"observedFrauvonTreumann,edgingherchairawayfromthewindow."Damp,butpleasant.Youlikefreshair,Isee." "Oh,Iloveit,"saidAnna"anditissobeautifulhere—sopure,andfullofthesea." "Youarenotafraidofcatchingcold,sittingsonearanopenwindow?" "Oh,isittoomuchforyou?Letty,shutthewindow.Itisgettingchilly.ThedaysaresofinethatoneforgetsitisonlyApril." AnnatalkedGermanandpouredoutthecoffeewithanervoushasteunusualtoher.Thethreewomensittingroundthelittletablestaringathermadeherfeelterriblynervous.Shewashappybeyondwordstohavegotthemsafelyunderherownroofatlast,butshewasnervous.Shewasdeterminedthatthereshouldbenobarriersofconventionalityfromthefirstbetweenthemselvesandhernotaminutemoreoftheirliveswastobewastedthiswastheirhome,andshewasallreadytolovethemshehadmadeuphermindthathowevershyshefeltshewasgoingtobehaveasthoughtheywereherdearfriends—whichindeed,sheassuredherself,wasexactlywhattheywere.Thereforeshestruggledbravelyagainsthernervousness,addressingthemcollectivelyandsingly,sayingwhatevercamefirstintoherheadinheranxietytosaysomething,smilingatthem,pressingtheprincess'scakesonthem,hardlylettingthemdrinktheircoffeebeforeshewantedtogivethemmore.Butitwasnogoodshewasandremainednervous,andherhandshooksowhenshelifteditthatshewasashamed. Fr?ulei