CHAPTER XVI

tanything.Wedidnotthinkthenthatweshouldmeethere,didwe?" "No,indeed.AndIcannottellyouhowmuchIadmireyourcourage." "Mycourage?Whatfinequalitiesyouinvestmewith!" "MissEstcourthastoldmehowadmirablyyoudischargeyourdutieshere.Itiswonderfultome.Youareanexampletousall,andyoumakemefeelashamedofmyownuselessness." "Oh,youunderrateyourself.Peoplewholeaveeverythingtogoandhelpotherscannottalkofbeinguseless.Yes,Ilookafterherhouseforher,andIhopetolookafterheraswell." "Afterher?Isthatoneofyourduties?Didshestipulateforpersonalsupervisionwhensheengagedyou?Howtimesarechanged!WhenmyKarlwasalive,andwelivedatSommershof,Icertainlywouldnothavetoleratedthatmyhousekeepershouldkeepmeinorderaswellasmyhouse." "Thecasewassurelydifferent,dearFrauvonTreumann.Hereisanunusuallyprettyyoungthing,withmoney.ShewillneedalltheprotectionIcangiveher,anditisasatisfactiontometofeelthatIamhereandabletogiveit." "Butshemayanydayturnroundandrequestyoutogo." "Thatofcoursemayhappen,butIhopeitwillnotuntilsheissafe." "Butdoyouthinkhersopretty?"putinthebaronesswonderingly. "Safe?Whatspecialdangersdoyouthenapprehendforher?"askedFrauvonTreumannwithalookofamusement."Dearprincess,youalwaysdidtakeyourdutiessoseriously.Whatatreasureyouwouldhavebeentomeinmanyways.Itisadmirable.ButdoyourdutiesreallyincludewatchingoverMissEstcourt'sheart?ForIsupposeyouarethinkingofherheart?" "Iamthinkingofadventurers,"saidtheprincess."AnyyoungmanwithnomoneywouldnaturallybedelightedtosecurethisyoungladyandKleinwalde.Andthosewhoinsteadofmoneyhavedebts,wouldnaturallybestillmoredelighted."AndtheprincessinherturngazedpensivelybutsteadilyatFrauvonTreumann."No,"shesaid,takingupherworkagain,"Iwasnotthinkingofherheart,butoftheannoyanceshemightbeputto.Idonotfancythatherheartwouldeasilybetouched." Annacameinatthatmomentforapapershewanted,andheardthelastwords."What,"shesaid,smiling,assheunlockedthedrawerofherwriting-tableandrummagedamongthecontents,"youaretalkingabouthearts?Youseeitistruethatwomencan'tbetogetherhalfanhourwithoutgettingontosubjectslikethat.Ifyouwerethreemen,now,youwouldtalkofpigs."Then,asuddenrecollectionofUncleJoachimcomingintohermind,sheaddedwithconviction,"Andpigsarebetter." NorwasittillshehadclosedthedoorbehindherthatitstruckherthatwhenshecameintotheroomboththeprincessandFrauvonTreumannwerelookingpreternaturallybland.