CHAPTER XIV

parrowsbecameaudible. "Thestillnessistrulyremarkable,"observedthebaronessagain. "Ja,eben,"saidFr?uleinKuhr?uber. "Butitisbeautiful,isn'tit,"saidAnna,gazingoutatthelightonthewater."Itissorestful,sosoothing.Lookwhatalovelysunsettheremustbethisevening.Wecan'tseeitfromthissideofthehouse,butlookatthecolourofthegrassandthewater." "Ach—youareafriendofnature,"saidFrauvonTreumann,turningherheadforabriefmomenttowardsthewindow,andthenexaminingAnna'sface."Iamalso.ThereisnothingIlikemorethannature.Doyoupaint?" "IwishIcould." "Ah,thenyousing—orplay?" "Icandoneither." "So?Butwhathaveyouhere,then,inthewayofdistractions,ofpastimes?" "Idon'tthinkIhaveany,"saidAnna,smiling."Ihavebeenverybusytillnowmakingthingsreadyforyou,andafterthisIshalljustenjoybeingalive." FrauvonTreumannlookedpuzzledforamoment.Thenshesaid"Achso." Therewasanothersilence. "Havesomemorecoffee,"saidAnna,layingholdofthepotpersuasively.Shewasfeelingfoolish,andhadblushedstupidlyafterthatAchso. "No,no,"saidFrauvonTreumann,puttingupaprotestinghand,"youareverykind.Twocupsarealimitbeyondwhichvoracityitselfcouldnotgo.Whatdoyousay?Youhavehadthree?Oh,well,youareyoung,andyoungpeoplecanplaytrickswiththeirdigestionswithlessdangerthanoldones." AtthisspeechFr?uleinKuhr?uber'sfourcupsbecameplainlywrittenonherguiltyface.Thethoughtthatshehadbeenvoraciousattheveryfirstmealwasappallingtoher.Shehastilypushedawayherhalf-emptycup—toohastily,foritupset,andinherefforttosaveititfellontothefloorandwasbroken."Ach,HerrJe!"shecriedinherdistress. Theothertwolookedateachothertheexpressionisanunusualoneonthelipsofgentle-women. "Oh,itdoesnotmatter—reallyitdoesnot,"Annahastenedtoassureher."Don'tpickitup—Lettywill.Thetableistoosmallreally.Thereisnoroomonitforanything." "Ja,eben,"saidFr?uleinKuhr?uber,greatlydiscomfited. "Youwouldliketogoupstairs,Iamsure,"saidAnnahurriedly,turningtotheothers."Youmustbeverytired,"sheadded,lookingatFrauvonTreumann. "Iam,"repliedthatlady,closinghereyesforamomentwithalittlesmileexpressiveofpatientendurance. "Thenwewillgoup.Come,"shesaid,holdingoutherhandtoFr?uleinKuhr?uber."No,no—letLettypickupthepieces——"fortheFr?ulein,inheranxietytorepairthedisaster,wasabouttosweeptheremainingcupsoffthetablewiththesleeveofhercloak. Annadrewherhandthroughherarm,andgaveitafurtiveandencouragingstroke."Iwillgofirstandshowyoutheway,"shesaidoverhershouldertotheothers. AndsoitcameaboutthatFrauvonTreumannandBaronessElmreichactuallyfoundthemselvesgoingthroughdoorsandupstairsbehindapersoncalledKuhr?uber.Theyexchangedglancesagain.Whatevermightbetheirprivateobjectionstoeachother,theyhadonepointalreadyonwhichtheyagreed,forwithequalheartinesstheybothdisapprovedofFr?uleinKuhr?uber.