CHAPTER XXIX

lverofthescales."Itisnoaffairofmine.ItisforElsetoforgivehim." FrauvonTreumannbegantoweepthiswayoflookingatitwassohopelesslyunreasonable.Shepulledoutherhandkerchief."Whataheapshemustuse,"thoughtAnnaneverhadshemetpeoplewhocriedsomuchandsoeasilyastheChosenshewasquiteusednowtoredeyesoneorotherofhersistershadthemalmostdaily,forthefarthertheiroldbodilydiscomfortsandrealanxietieslaybehindthemthemoretenderandeasilylacerateddidtheirfeelingsbecome. "Hecouldnotbeartoseeyoubeingimposedupon,"saidFrauvonTreumann."Assoonasheknewaboutthisterriblesisterhefelthemusthastendowntosaveyou.'Mother,'hesaidtomewhenfirsthesuspectedit,'ifitistrue,shemustnotbecontaminated.'" "Whomustn't?" "Oh,Anna,youknowhethinksonlyofyou!" "Well,yousee,"saidAnna,"Idon'tmindbeingcontaminated." "Oh,dearchild,ayoungprettygirloughttomindverymuch." "Well,Idon't.Butwhataboutyourself?Areyounotafraidof—ofcontamination?"Shewasfrightenedbyherowndaringwhenshehadsaidit,andwouldnothavelookedatFrauvonTreumannforworlds. "No,dearchild,"repliedthatladyintonesoftearfulsweetness,"Iamtoooldtosufferinanywayfromassociatingwithqueerpeople." "ButIthoughtaTreumann——"murmuredAnna,moreandmorefrightenedatherself,butimpelledtogoon. "DearAnna,aTreumannhasneveryetflinchedbeforeduty." Annawassilenced.Afterthatshecouldonlycontinuetowatchthegulls. "Youaregoingtokeepthebaroness?" "Ifshecarestostay,yes." "Ithoughtyouwould.Itisforyoutodecidewhoyouwillhaveinyourhouse.Butwhatwouldyoudoifthis—thisLollicamedowntoseehersister?" "Ireallycannottell." "Well,besureofonething,"burstoutFrauvonTreumannenthusiastically,"Iwillnotforsakeyou,dearAnna.Yourpositionnowisexceedinglydelicate,andIwillnotforsakeyou." Soshewasnotgoing.Annagotupwithafaintsigh."Itisfrightfullyhothere,"shesaid"IthinkIwillgotoElse." "Ah—andIwantedtotellyouaboutmypoorKarlchen—andyouavoidme—youdonotwanttohear.IfIaminthehouse,thehouseistoohot.IfIcomeintothegarden,thegardenistoohot.Younolongerlikebeingwithme." Annadidnotcontradicther.Shewaswonderingpainfullywhatsheoughttodo.OughtshemeeklytoallowFrauvonTreumanntostayonatKleinwalde,totheexclusion,perhaps,ofsomeonereallydeserving?Oroughtshetobraceherselftotheterribletaskofaskinghertogo?Shethought,"IwillaskAxel"—andthenrememberedthattherewasnoAxeltoask.Henevercamenearher.Hehaddroppedoutofhe