CHAPTER XV

AssoonasBaronessElmreichfoundherselfaloneinherbedroom,sheproceededtoexamineitscontentswithminutecare.Supper,shehadbeentold,wasnottilleighto'clock,andshehadnotmuchtounpacksolayingasideherhatandcloak,andglancingatthereflectionofherlittlecurlsintheglasstoseewhethertheywereastheyshouldbe,shebeganherinspectionofeachseparatearticleinherroom,takingeachoneupandscrutinisingit,holdingthejarsofhepaticashighaboveherheadinordertoseewhetherthepricewasmarkedunderneath,untidyingthebedtofeelthequalityofthesheets,pokingthemattresstodiscoverthenatureofthestuffing,andinvestigatingwithspecialattentiontheembroideryonthepillow-cases.Buteverythingwasasdaintyandasperfectasenthusiasmcouldmakeit.Nowhere,withherbestendeavours,couldshediscoverthesignsshewaslookingforofcheapnessandshabbinessinlessnoticeablethingsthatwouldhavehelpedhertounderstandherhostess."Thisembroideryhascostatleasttwomarksthemeter,"shesaidtoherself,fingeringit."Shemustrollinmoney.Andthewall-paper—howunpractical!Itissolightthateverymarkwillbeseen.Thefliesalonewillruinitinamonth." Sheshruggedhershoulders,andsmiledstrangetosay,thethoughtofAnna'spaperbeingspoiledpleasedher. Neverhadshebeeninaroomtheleastlikethisone.Ifwhitewashprevaileddownstairs,andinAnna'sspecialhaunts,ithadnotbeenpermittedtoinvadethebedroomsoftheChosen.Anna'sreflectionshadledhertotheconclusionthatthelivesoftheseladieshadtillthenprobablybeenspentinbareplaces,andthattheywouldaccordinglyfeelasmuchpleasureinthecontemplationofcarpets,paperedwalls,andstuffedchairs,assheherselfdidintheseverityofherwhitewashedroomsafterthelavishlyupholsteredyearsofheryouth.Butthedaintinessandluxuryonlyfilledthebaronesswithdoubts.Shestoodinthemiddleofitlookingroundherwhenshehadfinishedhertourofinspectionandhadmadeguessesatthepriceofeverything,andaskedherselfwhothisMissEstcourtcouldbe.Annawouldhavebeenconsiderablydisappointed,andperhapsevenmovedtotears,ifshehadknownthattheroomshethoughtsoprettystruckthebaroness,whosetasteinfurniturehadnotadvancedbeyondanappreciationforthedarkandheavyhangingsandwalnut-woodtablesofhermoreprosperousyears,merelyasodd.Odd,andveryexpensive.Wheredidthemoneycomefromforthisrecklessfurnishingwithstuffsandcoloursthatwereboundtoshoweachstain?Hereyewanderedalongtheshelvesabovethewriting-table—herswastheHeineandMaeterlinckroom—andshewonderedwhatallthebooksweretherefor.Shedidnottouchthemasshehadtouchedeverythingelse,forexceptanoccasionalnovel,and,moreregularly,ajournalbelovedofGermanwomancalledtheGartenlaube,sheneverread. Onthewriting-tablelayablotter,apretty,embroideredthingthatsaidasplainlyasblottercouldsaythatithadbeenchosenwithimmensecareandopeningitshefoundnotepaperandenvelopesstampedwiththeKleinwaldeaddressandherownmonogram.ThiswasAnna'slittlespecialgift,achildishaddition,themakingofwhichhadgivenheranabsurdamountofpleasure.Thehappyidea,asshecalledit,hadcometoheronenightwhenshelayawakethinkingabouthernewfriendsandgoingthroughthefamiliarprocessofdiscoveringtheirtastesbyimaginingherselfintheirplace."Sonderbar,"wasthebaroness'scommentandshedecidedthatthebestthingshecoulddowouldbetoringthebellandendeavourtoobtainprivateinformationaboutMissEstcourtbymeansofaprolongedcross-examinationofthehousemaid. Sherangit,andthensatverystraightandstillonthesofawithherhandsfoldedinherlap,andwaited.Hersoulwasfullofdoubts.WhowasthisMiss,andwhereweretheproofsthatshewas,asshehadpretended,ofgoodbirth?Thatshewasnotsoverypiouswasevidentforifshehadbeen,someremarkofareligiousnaturewouldinevitablyhavebeenforthcomingwhenshefirstwelcomedthemtoherhouse.Nosuchword,nottheleastapproachtoanysuchword,hadbeenaudible.Therehadnotevenbeenanallusion,asigh,oranupwardglance.Yetthepastorwhohadopenedthecorrespondencehadfilledmanypageswithexpatiationsonherzealafterrighteousness.Andthenshewassoyoung.Thebaronesshadexpectedtoseeanelderlyperson,oratleastapersonoftheageofeverybodyelse,whichwasherownagebutthiswasameregirl,andagirl,too,whofromthewayshedressed,clearlythoughtherselfpretty.Surelyitwasstrangethatsoyoungawomanshouldbelivingherequiteunattached,quiteindependentapparentlyofallcontrol,withagreatdealofmoneyatherdisposal,andonlyonelittlegirltogiveheracountenance?Supposeshewerenotaproperpersonatall,supposeshewereanoutcastfromsociety,abeingonwhomherowncountrypeopleturnedtheirbacks?Thisdesiretoshareherfortunewithrespectableladiescouldonlybeexplainedintwoways:eithershehadbeenmovedtheretobyanenthusiasticpietyofwhichnotatracehadasyetappeared,orshewasanimproperpersonanxioustorebuildherreputationwiththeaidandcountenanceoftheladiesofgoodfamilyshehadentrappedintoherhouse. Thebaronessstiffenedasshesat.Itwasherbrotherwhohadcheatedatcardsandshothimself