CHAPTER XV

,anditwashersisterofwhomAxelLohmhadheardstrangetalesandfewpeoplearemoresavagelyproperthanthestillrespectablerelationsofthedemoralised."Theserviceinthishouseisverybad,"shesaidaloudandirascibly,gettinguptoringagain."Nodoubtshehastroublewithherservants." Buttherewasaknockatthedoorwhileherhandwasonthebell,andonhercalling"Comein,"insteadoftheservantherhostessappeared,dressedtothebaroness'seyeinatrulyamazingandreprehensiblefashion,andlookingascheerfulasaninnocentinfantforwhomnosuchthingasevil-doingexists.Alsosheseemedquiteunconsciousofherclothesandbareneck,nordidsheoffertoexplainwhyshewasarrayedasthoughsheweregoingtoaballandshestoodamomentinthedoorwaytryingtosaysomethinginGermanandpretendingtolaughatherownineffectualefforts,butreallylaughing,thebaronessfeltsure,inordertoshowthatshehaddimpleswhichwerenot,afterall,verywonderfulthingstohave—beforeshehadgrownsothinshealmosthadoneherself. "MayIcomein?"saidAnnaatlast,givinguptheotherandmorecomplicatedspeech. "Bitte,"saidthebaroness,withthesmiletheFrenchcallpincé. "Hasnoonebeentounpackyourthings?" "Irang." "Andnoonecame?Oh,IshallscoldMarie.ItistheonlythingIcandowellinGerman.CanyouspeakEnglish?" "No." "Norunderstandit?" "No." "French?" "No." "Oh,well,youmustbepatientthenwithmybadGerman.WhenIamalonewithanyoneitgoesbetter,butiftherearemanypeoplelisteningIamnervousandcanhardlyspeakatall.HowgladIamthatyouarehere!" Anna'sshyness,nowthatshewasbyherselfwithoneofherforlornones,hadvanished,andsheprattledhappilyforsometime,puttingasmanymistakesintohersentencesastheywouldhold,beforeshebecameawarethatthebaroness'srepliesweremonosyllabic,andthatshewasexaminingherfromheadtofootwithsomuchattentionthattherewasobviouslynoneleftoverfortheappreciationofherremarks. Thismadeherfeelshyagain.Clothestoherweresuchsecondaryconsiderations,thingsofsolittleimportance.Susiehadprovidedthem,andshehadputthemon,andthereithadendedandwhenshefoundthatitwasherdressandnotherselfthatwasinterestingthebaroness,shelongedtohavethecouragetosay,"Don'twastetimeoveritnow—I'llsendittoyourroomto-night,ifyoulike,andyoucanlookatitcomfortably—onlydon'twastetimenow.Iwanttotalktoyou,toyouwhohavesufferedsomuchIwanttomakefriendswithyouquickly,tomakeyoubegintobehappyquicklysodon'tletuswastetheprecioustimethinkingofclothes."ButshehadneithersufficientcouragenorsufficientGerman. Sheputoutherhandrathertimidly,andmakinganefforttobringhercompanion'sthoughtsbacktothethingsthatmattered,said,"Ihopeyouwilllikelivingwithme.Ihopeweshallbeveryhappytogether.Ican'ttellyouhowhappyitmakesmetothinkthatyouaresafelyhere,andthatyouaregoingtostaywithmealways." Thebaroness'shandswereclaspedinfrontofher,andtheydidnotunclasptomeetAnna'sbutatthisspeechsheleftoffeyeingthedress,andbegantoaskquestions."Youareverylonely,Icansee,"shesaidwithanotherofthepinchedsmiles."Haveyouthennorelations?Nooneofyourownfamilywhowilllivewithyou?WillnotyourFrauMamacometoGermany?" "Mymotherisdead." "Ach—minealso.AndtheHerrPapa?" "Heisdead." "Ach—minealso." "Iknow,Iknow,"saidAnna,strokingtheunresponsivehands—atrickofherswhenshewantedtocomfortthathadoftenirritatedSusie."Youtoldmehowlonelyyouwereinyourletters.IlivedwithmybrotherandhiswifetillIcamehere.Youhavenobrothersorsisters,Ithinkyouwrote." "None,"saidthebaronesswitharigidlook. "Well,Iamgoingtobeyoursister,ifyouwillletme." "Youareverygood." "Oh,Iamnotgood,onlysohappy—IhaveeverythingintheworldthatIhaveeverwishedtohave,andnowthatyouhavecometoshareitallthereisnothingmoreIcanthinkofthatIwant." "Ach,"saidthebaroness.Thensheadded,"Haveyounoaunts,orcousins,whowouldcomeandstaywithyou?" "Oh,heaps.Buttheyareallwelloffandquitepleased,andtheywouldn'tlikestayingherewithmeatall." "Theywouldnotlikestayingwithyou?Howstrange." "Verystrange,"laughedAnna."Youseetheydon'tknowhowpleasantIcanbeinmyownhouse." "Andyourfriends—theytoowillnotcome?" "Idon'tknowiftheywouldornot.Ididn'taskthem." "Youhavenoone,nooneatallwhowouldcomeandlivewithyousothatyoushouldnotbesolonely?" "ButIamnotlonely,"saidAnna,lookingdownatthelittlewomanwithaslightlyamusedexpression,"andIdon'tintheleastwanttobelivedwith." "Thenwhydoyouwishtofillyourhousewithstrangers?" "Why?"repeatedAnna,apuzzledlookcomingintohereyes.Hadnotthecorrespondencewiththeultimatelychosenbeenlong?Andwerenotallherreasonsdulysetforththerein?"Why,becauseIwantyoutohavesomeofmynicethingstoo." "Butnotyourownfriendsandrelations?" "Theyhaveeverythingtheywant." Therewasasilence.Annaleftoffstrokingthebaroness'shands.Shewasthinkingthatthiswasaqueerlittleperson—outs