CHAPTER XVII

otsofwomenwouldgiveanythingtobemen." "Andyouareoneofthem?" "Yes." Helaughedagain. "YouthinkIwouldmakeaqueerlittleman?"shesaid,laughingtoobutherfacebecamesoberimmediately,andwithaglanceattheshutdining-roomdoorshecontinued:"Itissohorridtofeelweak.MysisterSusiesaysIamveryobstinate.PerhapsIwaswithher,butdifferentpeoplehavedifferenteffectsonone."Shesankhervoicetoawhisper,andlookedathimanxiously."Youcan'tthinkwhataneffortitistometosayNotothatman." "What,toDellwig?" "Sh—sh." "Butifthatishowyoufeel,mydearMissEstcourt,itisveryevidentthatthemanmustgo." "Howeasyitistosaythat!Pray,whoistotellhimtogo?" "Iwill,ifyouwish." "Ifyouwereawoman,doyousupposeyouwouldbeabletoturnoutanoldservantwhohasworkedheresomanyyears?" "Yes,IamsureIwould,ifIfeltthathewasgettingbeyondmycontrol." "No,youwouldn't.Allsortsofthingswouldstopyou.Youwouldrememberthatyourunclespeciallytoldyoutokeephimon,thathehasbeenhereages,thathewasfaithfulanddevoted——" "Idonotbelievetherewasmuchdevotion." "Ohyes,therewas.ThefirsteveninghecriedaboutdearUncleJoachim." "Hecried?"repeatedAxelincredulously. "Hedidindeed." "Itwasaboutsomethingelse,then." "No,hereallycriedaboutUncleJoachim.Hereallylovedhim." Axellookedprofoundlyunconvinced. "Butafterallthosearenottherealreasons,"saidAnna"theyoughttobe,butthey'renot.ThesimpletruthisthatIamacoward,andIamfrightened—dreadfullyfrightened—ofpossiblescenes."Andshelookedathimandlaughedruefully."There—youseewhatitistobeawoman.IfIwereaman,howeasythingswouldbe.PleaseconsiderthemortificationofknowingthatifhepersuadeslongenoughIshallgivein,againstmybetterjudgment.HehasthestrongestwillIthinkIevercameacross." "Butyouhavenotyetgivenin,Ihope,onanypointofimportance?" "UptonowIhavemanagedtosayNotoeverythingIdon'twanttodo.ButyouwouldlaughifyouknewwhatthoseNoscostme.Whycannottheplacegoonasitwas?Iamperfectlysatisfied.Buthardlyadaypasseswithoutsomewonderfulnewplanbeinglaidbeforeme,andhetalks—oh,howhetalks!Ibelievehewouldconvinceevenyou." "Themanisquitebeyondyourcontrol,"saidAxelinavoiceofangerandvoicesofangercommonlybeingloudvoices,thisoneproducedtheeffectofthreedoorsbeingsimultaneouslyopened:thedoorleadingtotheservants'quarters,throughwhichMarielookedandvanishedagain,retreatingtothekitchentotalkpropheticallyofweddingsthedining-roomdoor,behindwhichDellwighadgrownmoreandmoreimpatientatbeingkeptwaitingsolongandthedrawing-roomdoor,ontheothersideofwhichthebaronesshadbeenlingeringforsomemoments,desiringtogoupstairsforherscissors,buthesitatingtointerruptAnna'sbusinesswiththeinspector,whosevoiceshethoughtitwasthatsheheard. Thebaronessshutherdooragainimmediately."Aha—theadmirer!"shesaidtoherselfandwentbackquicklytoherseat."TheMissistalkingtoajüngeHerr,"sheannounced,hereyeswideropenthanever