CHAPTER XVIII

thinkhewantedtospeaktoyou.Butyouwentstraightuptobed." "Ihadseenhimbeforehewentintoyou.Hedidn'twanttospeaktome.Hewasconsumedbycuriosityaboutournewfriends." "Washe?Hedidnotshowmuchinterestinthem.Hetalkedtomenearlyallthetime.Hethoughtforamomentthatheknewthebaroness—atleast,hestaredatheratfirstandseemedsurprised.Butitturnedoutthatshewasonlylikesomeoneheknew.Shehadevidentlyneverseenhimbefore.Itisagreatpleasuretometotalktothatyoungman,"theprincesswenton,whileAnnaatehertoast. "Soitistome,"saidAnna. "Ihavemetmanypeopleinmylife,andhaveoftenwonderedatthedearthofniceones—howfewtherearethatonelikestobewithandwishestoseeagainandagain.Axelisoneofthefew,decidedly." "Soheis,"agreedAnna. "Thereisgoodnesswrittenoneverylineofhisface." "Oh,hehasthekindestface.Andsostrong.Ifeelthatifanythinghappenedhere,anythingdreadful,thathewouldmakeitrightagainatonce.Hewouldmendusifwegotsmashed,andbuildusupagainifwegotburned,andprotectus,thishousefuloflonewomen,ifeveranybodytriedtorunawaywithus."AndAnnanoddedreassuringlyattheprincess,andtookanotherpieceoftoast"ThatishowIfeelabouthim,"shesaid."Soagreeablycertain,notonlyofhiswillingnesstohelp,butofhispowertodoit."TalkingaboutAxelshequiteforgottheapparitionofthebaronessthatshehadjustseen.Hewassokind,sogood,sostrong.Howmuchsheadmiredstrengthofpurpose,independence,thecharacterthatwasdeterminedtofinditshappinessindoingitsbest. "IfIhadadaughter,"saidtheprincess,fillingAnna'scup,"sheshouldmarryAxelLohm." "IfIhadadaughter,"saidAnna,"sheshouldmarryhim,soyourscouldn't.Iwouldn'tevenaskherifshelikedit.I'dbesosurethatitwasagoodthingforherthatI'djustsay:'Mydear,Ihavechosenmyson-in-law.Getyourhat,andcometochurchandmarryhim.'Andthere'dbeanendofthat." Theprincessfeltthatitwasanunprofitableemployment,tryingtohelponAxel'scause.ShecouldnotbutseewhathethoughtofAnnaandafterthetouchingmannerofwidows,wasconvincedofthesuperiorityofmarriage,asameansofrealhappinessforawoman,overanyandeveryotherformofoccupation.Yetwhenevershetalkedofhimshewasmetbythesameheartyagreementandfrankenthusiasm,theverywordsbeingtakenoutofhermouthandherownpraisesofhimdoubledandtrebled.Itwasapromisingfriendship,butitwasasingularlyunpromisingpreludetolove. "Pleasemakesomefreshcoffee,"beggedAnna"theotherswillbecomingdownsoon,andmustnothavecoldstuff."Hervoicegrewtenderatthemerementionof"theothers."FortheprincessandAxel,bothofwhomshelikedsomuch,itnevertookonthosetendertones,astheprincesshadalreadynoted.Therewasnothingineitherofthemtoappealtothatsideofhernature,thetender,motherside,whichisinallgoodwomenandmostbadones.Theywereherfriends,staunchfriends,shefelt,andofcourseshelikedandrespectedthembuttheyweresturdy,capablepeople,firmlyplantedontheirownfeet,abletobattlesuccessfullywithlife—asdifferentaspossiblefromthesehelplessoneswhoneededher,whomshehadsaved,towhomshewaseverything,betweenwhomandwantandsorrowshewasfixedasashield. Twoofthehelplessonescameinatthatmoment,withfrosty,early-morningfaces.Annaputthevisionshehadseenatthekitchendoorfromhermind,andwenttomeetthemwithhappysmilesandgreetings.FrauvonTreumanndidherbesttorespondwarmly,