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ilentwonderattheamountoftroubleoneyoungwomancouldgive.Hownecessary,hethought,andhowwisewasthatplanatwhichheusedinhisignorancetorail,ofsettinganelderlyfemaleliketheDisthaltocontroltheactionsanddogthefootstepsofthePriscillasofthisworld.HehatedtheDisthalandallwomenlikeher,womenwithmountainousbodiesandminimalbrains—bodiesself-indulgedintoshapelessness,brainsneglectedintodisappearancebutthenoblerandsimplerandthemoregenerousthegirlthemoredidsheneedsomesuchmixtureoffleshlinessandcunningconstantlywithher.Itseemedabsurd,anditseemedallwrongyetsurelyitwasso.Heponderedoveritlongindejectedmusings,thefightingtendencygoneoutofhimcompletelyforthetime,sodarkwashisspiritwiththeshadowsofthefuture. Theyhadborrowedthewages—itwasadreadfulmoment—forthatday'scookfromAnnalise.Fortheirfoodtheydecidedtorunupabillatthestorebuteverydayeachfreshcookwouldhavetobepaid,andeverydayherwageswouldhavetobelentbyAnnalise.Annaliselentsuperblywithanairasofgivingfreely,withjoy.AllsherequiredwasthePrincess'ssignaturetoamemorandumdrawnupbyherselfbywhichshewaspromisedthemoneyback,doubled,withinthreemonths.Priscillareadthis,flushedtoherhair,signed,andorderedheroutoftheroom.Annalise,whowasbeginningtoenjoyherself,wentupstairssinging.IntheparlourPriscillabrokethepenshehadsignedwithintoquitesmallpiecesandflungthemontothefire,—auselessdemonstration,butthenshewasaquick-temperedyounglady.IntheatticAnnalisesatdownandwrotealetterbreathingloftysentimentstotheCountessDisthalinKunitz,tellinghershecouldnolongerkeepsilenceinthefaceofaroyalparent'sanxietiesandshewaswillingtorevealtheaddressofthePrincessPriscillaandsostaunchthebleedingofanobleheartiftheGrandDukewouldforwardherorforwardtoherparentsonherbehalfthesumoftwentythousandmarks.Gladlywouldsherenderthisservice,whichwasatthesametimeherduty,fornothing,ifshehadnotthefuturetoconsiderandaninfirmfather.MeanwhileshegavetheSymfordpost-officeasanaddress,assuringtheCountessthatitwasatleastfiftymilesfromthePrincess'spresenthiding-place,theaddressofwhichwouldonlybesentontheconditionsnamed.Then,immenselyproudofhercleverness,shetrotteddowntothepost-office,boughtstamps,andputtheletterherselfinthebox. Thateveningshesanginthekitchen,shesanginthebath-room,shesangintheatticandonthestairstotheattic.Whatshesang,persistently,overandoveragain,andloudestoutsideFritzing'sdoor,wasaGermansongabouthowbeautifulitisateveningwhenthebellsringonetorest,andtherefrainattheendofeachversewasding-dongtwicerepeated.Priscillarangherownbell,unabletoendureit,butAnnalisedidnotconsiderthistobeoneofthosethatarebeautifulanddidnotanswerittillithadbeenrungthreetimes. "Donotsing,"saidPriscilla,whensheappeared. "YourGrandDucalHighnessobjects?" Priscillaturnedred."I'llgivenoreasons,"shesaidicily."Donotsing." "Yetitisasignofalightheart.YourGrandDucalHighnessdidnotliketoseemeweep—sheshouldthemoreliketohearmerejoice." "Youcango." "Myheartto-nightislight,becauseIamthemeansofbeingofusetoyourGrandDucalHighness,ofshowingmydevotion,ofbeingofservice." "Dometheserviceofbeingquiet." Annalisecurtseyedandwithdrew,andspenttherestoftheeveningburstingintospasmodicandimmediatelyinterrupteds