CHAPTER XV

ide,thatis.Inside,ofcourse,shewasverydifferent,poorlittlelonelythingbutheroutercrustseemedthickandshewonderedhowlongitwouldtakehertogetthroughittothesoulthatshewassurewassweetandlovable.Shewasalsounabletorepressaconvictionthatmostpeoplewouldcallthesequestionsrude. Butthistrainofthoughtwasnotonetobeencouraged."Iamkeepingyouheretalking,"shesaid,resumingherfirstcheerfulness,"andyourthingsarenotunpackedyet.IshallgoandscoldMariefornotcomingwhenyourang,andI'llsendhertoyou."Andshewentoutquickly,vexedwithherselfforfeelingchilled,andleftthebaronessmorefullofdoubtsthanever. WhenshehadrebukedMarie,wholookedgloomy,shetappedatFrauvonTreumann'sdoor.Nooneanswered.Sheknockedagain.Nooneanswered.Thensheopenedthedoorsoftlyandlookedin. Thesewerepreciousmoments,shefelt,thesefirstmomentsofbeingalonewitheachofhernewfriends,preciousopportunitiesforbreakingice.Itistrueshehadnotbeenabletobreakmuchoftheiceencasingthebaroness,butshewasdeterminednottobecastdownbyanyofthelittledifficultiesshewassuretoencounteratfirst,andshelookedintoFrauvonTreumann'sroomwithfreshhopeinherheart. What,then,washerdismaytofindthatladywalkingupanddownwiththelongstridesofextremeexcitement,herfacebathedintears. "Oh—what'sthematter?"gaspedAnna,shuttingthedoorquicklyandhurryingin. FrauvonTreumannhadnotheardthegentletaps,andwhenshesawher,started,andtriedtohideherfaceinherhandkerchief. "Tellmewhatisthematter,"beggedAnna,hervoicefulloftenderness. "Nichts,nichts,"wasthehastyreply."Ididnothearyouknock——" "Tellmewhatisthematter,"beggedAnnaagain,fairlyputtingherarmsroundthepoorlady."Ourlettershavesaidsomuchalready—surelythereisnothingyoucannottellmenow?AndifIcanhelpyou——" FrauvonTreumannfreedherselfbyahastymovement,andbegantowalkupanddownagain."No,no,youcandonothing—youcandonothing,"shesaid,andweptasshewalked. Annawatchedherinconsternation. "SeetowhatIhavecome—seetowhatIhavecome!"saidtheagitatedladyunderherbreathbutwithpassionateintensity,asshepassedandrepassedherdismayedhostess"oh,tohavefallensolow!oh,tohavefallensolow!" "Solow?"echoedAnna,greatlyconcerned. "Atmyage—I,aTreumann—I,ageboreneGr?finIlmas-Kadenstein—toliveoncharity—tobeamemberofacharitableinstitution!" "Institution?Charity?Ohno,no!"criedAnna."Itisahomehere,andthereisnocharityinitfromtheattictothecellar."Andshewenttowardsherwithoutstretchedhands. "Ahome!Yes,thatisit,"criedFrauvonTreumann,wavingherback,"itisahome,acharitablehome!" "No,notahomelikethat—arealhome,myhome,yourhome—einHeim,"Annaprotestedbutvainly,becausetheGermanwordHeimandtheEnglishword"home"havelittlemeaningincommon. "EinHeim,einHeim,"repeatedFrauvonTreumannwithextraordinarybitterness,"einFrauenheim—yes,thatiswhatitis,andeverybodyknowsit." "Everybodyknowsit?" "HowcouldIthink,"shesaid,wringingherhands,"howcouldIthinkwhenIdecidedtocomeherethatthewholeworldwastobemadeacquaintedwithyourplans?Ithoughttheyweretobekeptprivate,thattheworldwastothinkwewereyourfriends——" "Andsoyouare." "—yourguests——" "Oh,morethanguests—thisishome." "Home!Home!Alwaysthatword——"Andsheburstintoafreshtorrentoftears. Annastoodhelpless.WhatshesaidappearedonlytoaggravateFrauvonTreumann'ssorrowandrage—forsurelytherewasangeraswellassorrow?Shewasatacompletelossforthereasonofthisoutburst.Hadnoteverydetailbeendiscussedinthecorrespondence?Hadnotthatcorrespondencebeenexhaustiveeventoboredom? "Youhavetoldyourservants——" "Myservants?" "Youhavetoldthemthatweareobjectsofcharity——" "I——"beganAnna,andthenwassilent. "Itisnottrue—Ihavecomeherefromverydifferentmotives—buttheythinkmeanobjectofcharity.Irangthebell—Icannotunstrapmytrunks—Ineverhavebeenexpectedtounstraptrunks."Thesobshereinterferedforamomentwithfurtherspeech."Afteralongwhile—yourservantcame—shewasinsolent—thetrunksaretherestillunstrapped—youseethem—sheknows—everything." "Sheshallgoto-morrow." "Theothersthinkthesamething." "Theyshallgoto-morrow—thatis,havetheybeenrudetoyou?" "Notyet,buttheywillbe." "Whentheyare,theyshallgo." "Iwentintothecorridortoseekotherassistance,andImet—Imet——" "Who?" "Oh,tohavefallensolow!"criedFrauvonTreumann,claspingherhands,andraisingherstreamingeyestotheceiling. "Butwhodidyoumeet?" "Imet—ImetthePenheim." "ThePenheim?DoyoumeanPrincessLudwig?" "Youneversaidshewashere——" "Ididnotknowthatitwouldinterestyou." "—livingoncharity—shewasalwaysshameless—Iwasatschoolwithher.Oh,IwouldnothavecomeforanyinducementifIhadknownshewashere!Sheholdsnothingsacred,shewillboastofherowndegradation,shewillwritetoallherfriendsthatIamheretoo—ItoldthemIwascomingonlyonavisittoyo