CHAPTER XXII

une.Thelilies-of-the-valleytowhichithadbeentiedandthatheworesincealldaylonginhiscoat,werehardlybrown,andyethewastiredalreadyofhavingsuchasecrettohimself.WhatadvantagewasthereinbeingtoldbytheladyofKleinwaldethatsheregrettednotbeingabletocallhimL?mmchenorSch?tzchen(thealternativerenderingshisdictionarygaveof"pet")ifnooneknewit? Whenhereachedthehousehewalkedpastitatasnail'space,staringupattheblank,repellentwindows.Notasoulwastobeseen.Hewentondiscontentedly.Whatshouldhedo?Thedoorhadbeenshutinhisfaceoncealreadythatday,whyhecouldnotimagine.Hehesitated,andturnedback.Hewouldtryagain.Whynot?TheMisswouldhavescoldedtheservantroundlywhensheheardthatthepersonwhodweltinherthoughtsasaL?mmchenhadbeenturnedaway.Hewentboldlyroundthegrassplotinfrontofthehouseandknocked. Thesameservantappeared.Instantlyonseeinghimsheslammedthedoor,andcalledout"NichtzuHaus!" "EkelhaftesBenehmen!"criedKlutzaloud,flamingintosuddenpassion.Hismind,neververystrong,hadgrownweakeralongwithhisbodyduringtheseexcitingdaysofloveandfasting.Awaveoffurysweptoverhimashestoodbeforetheshutdoorandheardtheservantgoingawayandhardlyknowingwhathedid,heseizedtheknocker,andknockedandknockedtillthewoodsrang. Therewasasoundofhurriedfootstepsonthepathbehindhim,andturninghishead,hishandstillknocking,hesawDellwigrunningtowardshim. "Nanu!"criedDellwigbreathlessly,staringinblankestastonishment."Whatinthedevil'snameareyoumakingthisnoisefor?Istheparsononfire?" Klutzstaredbackinadazedsortofway,hisfurydyingoutatonceinthepresenceofthestrongernaturethen,becausehewastwenty,andbecausehewashalf-starved,andbecausehefelthewasbeingcruellyused,thereonAnna'sdoorstep,inthefulllightoftheeveningsun,withDellwig'seyesuponhim,heburstintoatorrentoftears. "Wellofall—what'swrongatLohm,yougreatsheep?"askedDellwig,seizinghisarmandgivinghimashake. KlutzsignifiedbyamovementofhisheadthatnothingwaswrongatLohm.Hewascryinglikeababy,intoaredpocket-handkerchief,andcouldnotspeak. Dellwig,stillgrippinghisarm,staredathimamomentinsilencethenheturnedhimround,pushedhimdownthesteps,andwalkedhimoff."Comealong,youngman,"hesaid,"Iwantsomeexplanationofthis.Ifyouaremadyou'llbelockedup.Wedon'tfancymadmenaboutourplace.Andifyou'renotmadyou'llbefinedbytheAmtsvorsteherfordisorderlyconduct.Knockinglikethatatalady'sdoor!Iwonderyoudidn'tkickitin,whileyouwereaboutit.It'sagoodthingtheHerrschaftenareout." Klutzreallyfeltill.HeleanedonDellwig'sarmandlethimselfbehelpedalong,theenergygoneoutofhimwiththefury."Youhaveneverloved,"wasallhesaid,wipinghiseyes. "Ohthat'sit,isit?Itislovethatmadeyouwanttobreaktheknocker?Whydidn'tyougoroundtotheback?Whichofthemisit?Thecook,ofcourse.Youlookhungry.AKandidatcryingafteracook!"AndDellwiglaughedloudandlong. "Thecook!"criedKlutz,galvanisedbythewordintolife."Thecook!"Hethrustashakinghandintohisbreast-pocketanddraggeditout,thepreciouspaper,unfoldingitwithtremblingfingers,andholdingitbeforeDellwig'seyes."Somuchforyourcooks,"hesaid,tremulouslytriumphant.Theywereintheroad,outofsightofthehouse.Dellwigtookthepaperandhelditclosetohiseyes."What'sthis?"heasked,scrutinisingit."ItisnotGerman." "ItisEnglish,"saidKlutz. "What,thegoverness——?" Klutzmerelypointedtothenameattheend.Oh,thesweetnessofthatmoment! "Anna?"readoutDellwig,"Anna?ThatisMissEstcourt'sname." "Itis,"saidKlutz,histearsalldriedup. "Itseemstobepoetry,"saidDellwigslowly. "Itis,"saidKlutz. "Whyhaveyougotit?" "Whyindeed!It'smine.Shesentittome.Shewroteitforme.Theseflowers——" "MissEstcourt?Sentittoyou?Poetr