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cilla."Poortinyman,nooneshallslapthee.TheFr?uleindoesnotalludetothee,littleson.TheFr?uleinisthinkingofbadchildrensuchasthesonsofSchultzandthycousinMeyer.Fr?ulein,ifyoudonotremoveyourveilIfearhewillhaveconvulsions." "Oh,"saidtheunhappyPriscilla,gettingasfarintohercornerasshecould,"I'msosorry—butI—butIreallycan't." "She'sawitch,Mutti!"roaredthechild,"Itellittotheeagain—thereforeisshesoblack,andmustnotshowherface!" "Hush,hush,shutthylittleeyes,"soothedthemother,puttingherhandoverthem.ToPriscillashesaid,withanobviousdawningofdistrust,"ButFr?ulein,whatreasoncanyouhaveforhidingyourself?" "Hidingmyself?"echoedPriscilla,nowveryunhappyindeed,"I'mnothidingmyself.I'vegot—I'vegot—I'mafraidI'vegota—anaffectionoftheskin.That'swhyIwearaveil." "Ach,poorFr?ulein,"saidthemother,brighteningatonceintolivelyinterest."Hans-Joachim,sleep,"sheaddedsharplytoherson,whotriedtoraisehisheadtointerruptwithfreshdoubtsaconversationgrownthrilling."Thatisindeedamisfortune.Itisarash?" "Oh,it'sdreadful,"saidPriscilla,faintly. "Ach,poorFr?ulein.Whenoneismarried,rashesnolongermatter.One'shusbandhastoloveoneinspiteofrashes.ButforaFr?uleineveryspotisofimportance.Thereisayoungladyofmyacquaintancewhoselife-happinesswasshipwreckedonlybyspots.Shecameoutinthematthewrongmoment." "Didshe?"murmuredPriscilla. "Youaregoingtoadoctor?" "Yes—thatis,no—I'vebeen." "Ah,youhavebeentoKunitztoDr.Kraus?" "Y—es.I'vebeenthere." "Whatdoeshesay?" "ThatImustalwayswearaveil." "Becauseitlookssobad?" "Isupposeso." Therewasasilence.Priscillalaybackinhercornerexhausted,andshuthereyes.Themotherstaredfixedlyather,onehandmechanicallystrokingHans-Joachim,theotherholdinghimdown. "WhenIwasagirl,"saidthemother,sosuddenlythatPriscillastarted,"Ihadagooddealoftroublewithmyskin.Thereforemyexperienceonthesubjectisgreat.Showmeyourface,Fr?ulein—Imightbeabletotellyouwhattodotocureit." "Oh,onnoaccount—onnoaccountwhatever,"criedPriscilla,sittingupverystraightandspeakingwithextraordinaryemphasis."Icouldn'tthinkofit—Ireallypositivelycouldn't." "ButmydearFr?ulein,whymindawomanseeingit?" "Butwhatdoyouwanttoseeitfor?" "Iwishtohelpyou." "Idon'twanttobehelped.I'llshowittonobody—tonobodyatall.It'smuchtoo—toodreadful." "Well,well,donotbeagitated.Girls,Iknow,arevain.IfanyonecanhelpyouitwillbeDr.Kraus.Heisanexcellentphysician,ishenot?" "Yes,"saidPriscilla,droppingbackintohercorner. "TheGrandDukeisagreatadmirerofhis.Heisgoingtoennoblehim." "Really?" "Theysay—nodoubtitisgossip,butstill,youknow,heisaveryhandsomeman—thattheCountessvonDisthalwillmarryhim." "Gracious!"criedPriscilla,startled,"what,whetherhewantstoornot?" "Nodoubthewillwantto.Itwouldbeabrilliantmatchforhim." "Butshe'satleastahundred.Why,shelookslikehismother.Andheisapersonofnobirthatall." "Birth?Heisofcoursenotnobleyet,buthisfamilyisexcellent.Andsinceitisnotpossibletohaveasmanyailmentsasshehasandstillbealive,someatleastmustbefeigned.Why,then,shouldshefeignifitisnotinordertoseethedoctor?TheyweresayinginKunitzthatshesentforhimthisveryday." "Yes,shedid.Butshe'sreallyillthistime.I'mafraidthepoorthingcaughtcoldwatching—dearme,onlyseehowsweetlyyourlittleboysleeps.YoushouldmakeLevallierpainthiminthatposition." "Ah,helookstrulylovely,doeshenot.Exactlythusdoeshisdearfatherlookwhenasleep.SometimesIcannotsleepmyselfforjoyoverthesplendidpicture.WhatisthematterwiththeCountessDisthal?DidDr.Kraustellyou?" "No,no.I—Iheardsomething—arumour." "Ah,somethingfeignedagain,nodoubt.Well,itwillbeagreatmatchforhim.Youknowsheislady-in-waitingtothePrincessPriscilla,theonewhoissopopularandhassuchredhair?TheCountesshasaneasylife.TheothertwoPrincesseshavegiventheirladiesaworldoftrouble,butPriscilla—oh,sheisamodel.Kunitzisindeedproudofher.TheysayinallthingssheisexactlywhataPrincessshouldbe,andmaybetrustednever