CHAPTER XVII

. "AjüngeHerr?"echoedFrauvonTreumann."Ithoughttheinspectorwasold?" "ItmustbeAxelLohm,"saidtheprincess,notraisinghereyesfromherwork."Heoftencomesin." "Hecomescourting,evidently,"saidthebaronesswithasub-acidsmile. "Ithasnotbeenevidenttome,"saidtheprincesscoldly. "Ithoughtitlookedlikeit,"saidthebaroness,withmoremeekness. "IsthattheLohmwhowasengagedtooneoftheKiederfelsgirlssomeyearsago?"askedFrauvonTreumann. "Yes,andshedied." "Butdidhenotmarrysoonafterwards?Iheardhemarried." "Thatwasthesecondbrother.Thisoneistheeldest,andlivesnexttous,andissingle." FrauvonTreumannwassilentforamoment.Thenshesaidblandly,"Nowconfess,princess,thatheistheperilouspersonfromwhomyouthinkitnecessarytodefendMissEstcourt." "Ohno,"saidtheprincesswithequalblandness"Ihavenofearsabouthim." "What,ishetoopossessedofaninvulnerableheart?" "Iknownothingofhisheart.Isaid,Ibelieve,adventurers.AndnoonecouldcallAxelLohmanadventurer.Iwasthinkingofmenwhohaverunthroughalltheirownandalltheirrelations'moneyinbettingandgambling,andwhowantawifewhowillpaytheirdebts." "Achso,"saidFrauvonTreumannwithperfecturbanity.AndifthistalkaboutprotectingMissEstcourtfromadventurersinaplacewheretherewereapparentlynohumanbeingsofanykind,butonlytreesandmarshes,mightseemtoabystandertobefoolishness,tothespeakersitwasluminousnessitself,andinnowayincreasedtheirloveforeachother. MeanwhileDellwig,lookingthroughthedoorandseeingLohm,broughthisheelstogetherandbowedwithhiscustomaryexaggeration."Ibegathousandtimespardon,"hesaid"IthoughtthegraciousMisswasengagedandwouldnotreturn,andIwasabouttogohome." "Ihavefoundthepaper,andamcoming,"saidAnnacoldly."Well,good-night,"sheaddedinEnglish,holdingoutherhandtoAxel. "Ifyouwillallowme,IshouldliketopaymyrespectstoPrincessLudwigbeforeIgo,"hesaid,thinkingthustoseeherlater. "Ah!wasn'tIright?"shesaid,smiling."Youaredeterminedtolookatthenewarrivals.Howcanamanbesoinquisitive?ButIwillsaygood-nightallthesame.IshallbeageswithHerrDellwig,andshallnotseeyouagain."Sheshookhandswithhim,andwentintothedining-room,Dellwigstandingasidewithdeeprespecttoletherpass.Butsheturnedtosaysomethingtohimasheshutthedoor,andAxelcaughttheexpressionofherface,theintenseboredomonit,theprofounddistrustofselfandhewentintotheprincesswithanunusuallysevereanddeterminedlookonhisown. Dellwigwenthomethatnightinasavagemood."Thatyoungman,"hesaidtohiswife,flinginghishatandcoatontoachairandhimselfontoasofa,"isthrustinghimselfmoreandmoreintoouraffairs." "ThatLohm?"sheasked,rollingupherworkpreparatorytofetchinghiseveningdrink. "IhadalmostgottheMisstoconsenttothebrick-kiln.Shewasquitereasonable,andwentouttogettheplanIhadmade.Thenshemethim—heisalwayshangingabout." "Andthen?"inquiredFrauDellwigeagerly. "Pah—thispetticoatgovernment—havingto