CHAPTER XVII

ltverysureandthefriend,too,hadtakenitforgranted,whenheheardoftheimpendingyoungmistress,thatthethingwasasgoodasbuilt. ThatwasinMarch.ItwasnowtheendofApril,andeverySundaythefriendinquiredwhenthebuildingwastobebegun,andeverySundayDellwigsaiditwouldbeginwhenthedaysgrewlonger.Thedayshadgrownlonger,wouldhavegrowninafewweekstotheirlongest,asthefriendrepeatedlypointedout,andstillnothinghadbeendone.Tothemanypeoplewhodonotcarewhattheirneighboursthinkofthem,thetormentsofthetwoDellwigsbecauseoftheunbuiltbrick-kilnwillbeincomprehensible.YetthesetormentsweresoacutethatintheweakermomentsimmediatelyprecedingmealstheybothfeltthatitwouldalmostbebettertoleaveKleinwaldethantostayandendurethemindeed,beforedinner,orduringwakefulnights,FrauDellwigwasconvincedthatitwouldbebettertodieoutright.Thegoodopinionoftheirneighbours—moreexactly,theenvyoftheirneighbours—wastothemtheverybreathoftheirnostrils.Intheirsettheymustbethefirst,theundisputedlyluckiest,cleverest,andbestoff.Anypositionlessmightywouldbeunbearable.AndsinceAnnacametherehadbeennothingbuthumiliations.FirstthedinnertotheManskes,fromwhichtheyhadbeenexcluded—FrauDellwiggrewhotalloverattherecollectionoftheSundaygatheringsucceedingitthentherenovationoftheSchlosswithouttheleastreferencetothem,withoutthesmallestaskingforadviceorhelpthenthefrequentcommunicationswiththepastor,puttinghimquiteoutofhisproperposition,theconfidenceplacedinhim,theridiculousrespectshownhim,hisconnectionwiththemadcharitableschemeandnow,mostdreadfulofall,thisobstinacyinregardtothebrick-kiln.Itwasbecomingclearthattheywerefairlyonthewaytobeingpitiedbytheneighbours.Pitied!Horridthought.Thegreatthinginlifewastobesosituatedthatyoucanpityothers.Buttobepitiedyourself?Oh,thrice-accursedfollyofoldJoachim,toleaveKleinwaldetoawoman!FrauDellwigcouldnotsleepthatnightforhatingAnna.Shelayawakestaringintothedarknesswithhoteyes,andhatingherwithaheartinessthatwouldhavepetrifiedthatunconsciousyoungwomanasshesataboutastone'sthrowoffinherbedroom,motionlessinthechairintowhichshehaddroppedonfirstcomingupstairs,tootiredeventoundress,afterherlongstrugglewithFrauDellwig'shusband."TheEngl?nderinwillruinus!"criedFrauDellwigsuddenly,unabletohateinsilenceanylonger. "Wie?Was?"exclaimedDellwig,whohaddozedoff,andwasstartled. "Shewill—shewill!"criedhiswife. "Willwhat?Ruinus?TheEngl?nderin?Achwas—Unsinn.Shecanbemanaged.ItisLohmwhoisthedanger.ItisLohmwhowillruinus.Ifwecouldgetridofhim——" "AchGott,ifhewoulddie!"exclaimedFrauDellwig,withferventhandsraisedheavenwards."AchGott,ifhewouldonlydie!" "AchGott,achGott!"mimickedherhusbandirritably,forhedislikedbeingsuddenlyawakened."Peopleneverdiewhenanythingdependsonit,"hegrumbled,turningoveronhisside.AndhecursedAxelseveraltimes,andwenttosleep.