wasleaning
over
her
balcony
carrying
on
a
conversation
with
a
picturesque
Spanish
youth
below
.
Most
of
the
English
party
had
gone
sledging
and
tobogganing
.
Mrs.
Reffold
had
asked
Bernardine
to
join
them
,
but
she
had
refused
.
Mrs.
Reffold
's
friends
were
anything
but
attractive
to
Bernardine
,
although
she
liked
Mrs.
Reffold
herself
immensely
.
There
was
no
special
reason
why
she
should
like
her
;
she
certainly
had
no
cause
to
admire
her
every-day
behaviour
,
nor
her
neglect
of
her
invalid
husband
,
who
was
passing
away
,
uncared
for
in
the
present
,
and
not
likely
to
be
mourned
for
in
the
future
.
Mrs.
Reffold
was
gay
,
careless
,
and
beautiful
.
She
understood
nothing
about
nursing
,
and
cared
less
.
So
a
trained
nurse
looked
after
Mr.
Reffold
,
and
Mrs.
Reffold
went
sledging
.
"
Dear
Wilfrid
is
so
unselfish
,
"
she
said
.
"
He
will
not
have
me
stay
at
home
.
But
I
feel
very
selfish
.
"
That
was
her
stock
remark
.
Most
people
answered
her
by
saying
:
"
Oh
no
,
Mrs.
Reffold
,
do
n't
say
that
.
"
But
when
she
made
the
remark
to
Bernardine
,
and
expected
the
usual
reply
,
Bernardine
said
instead
:
"
Mr.
Reffold
seems
lonely
.
"
"
Oh
,
he
has
a
trained
nurse
,
and
she
can
read
to
him
,
"
said
Mrs.
Reffold
hurriedly
.
She
seemed
ruffled
.
"
I
had
a
trained
nurse
once
,
"
replied
Bernardine
;
"
and
she
could
read
;
but
she
would
not
.
She
said
it
hurt
her
throat
.
"
"
Dear
me
,
how
very
unfortunate
for
you
,
"
said
Mrs.
Reffold
.
"
Ah
,
there
is
Captain
Graham
calling
.
I
must
not
keep
the
sledges
waiting
.
"
That
was
a
few
days
ago
,
but
to-day
,
when
Bernardine
was
playing
chess
with
the
Swedish
Professor
,
Mrs.
Reffold
came
to
her
.
There
was
a
curious
mixture
of
shyness
and
abandon
in
Mrs.
Reffold
's
manner
.
"
Miss
Holme
,
"
she
said
,
"
I
have
thought
of
such
a
splendid
idea
.
Will
you
go
and
see
Mr.
Reffold
this
afternoon
?
That
would
be
a
nice
little
change
for
him
.
"
Bernardine
smiled
.
"
If
you
wish
it
,
"
she
answered
.
Mrs.
Reffold
nodded
and
hastened
away
,
and
Bernardine
continued
her
game
,
and
,
having
finished
it
,
rose
to
go
.
The
Reffolds
were
rich
,
and
lived
in
a
suite
of
apartments
in
the
more
luxurious
part
of
the
Kurhaus
.
Bernardine
knocked
at
the
door
,
and
the
nurse
came
to
open
it
.
"
Mrs.
Reffold
asks
me
to
visit
Mr.
Reffold
,
"
Bernardine
said
;
and
the
nurse
showed
her
into
the
pleasant
sitting-room
.
Mr.
Reffold
was
lying
on
the
sofa
.
He
looked
up
as
Bernardine
came
in
,
and
a
smile
of
pleasure
spread
over
his
wan
face
.
"
I
do
n't
know
whether
I
intrude
,
"
said
Bernardine
;
"
but
Mrs.
Reffold
said
I
might
come
to
see
you
.
"
Mr.
Reffold
signed
to
the
nurse
to
withdraw
.
She
had
never
before
spoken
to
him
.
She
had
often
seen
him
lying
by
himself
in
the
sunshine
.
"
Are
you
paid
for
coming
to
me
?
"
asked
eagerly
.
The
words
seemed
rude
enough
,
but
there
was
no
rudeness
in
the
manner
.
"
No
,
I
am
not
paid
,
"
she
said
gently
;
and
then
she
took
a
chair
and
sat
near
him
.
"
Ah
,
that
's
well
!
"
he
said
,
with
a
sigh
of
relief
"
I
'm
so
tired
of
paid
service
.
To
know
that
things
are
done
for
me
because
a
certain
amount
of
francs
are
given
so
that
those
things
may
be
done
—
well
,
one
gets
weary
of
it
;
that
's
all
!
"
There
was
bitterness
in
every
word
he
spoke
.
"
I
lie
here
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
the
loneliness
of
it
—
the
loneliness
of
it
!
"
"
Shall
I
read
to
you
?
"
she
asked
kindly
.
She
did
not
know
what
to
say
to
him
.
"
I
want
to
talk
first
,
"
he
replied
.
"
I
want
to
talk
first
to
some
one
who
is
not
paid
for
talking
to
me
.
I
have
often
watched
you
,
and
wondered
who
you
were
.
Why
do
you
look
so
sad
?
No
one
is
waiting
for
you
to
die
?
"
"
Do
n't
talk
like
that
!
"
she
said
;
and
she
bent
over
him
and
arranged
the
cushions
for
him
more
comfortably
.
He
looked
just
like
a
great
lank
tired
child
.
"
Are
you
one
of
my
wife
's
friends
?
"
he
asked
.
"
I
do
n't
suppose
I
am
,
"
she
answered
gently
;
"
but
I
like
her
,
all
the
same
.
Indeed
,
I
like
her
very
much
.
And
I
think
her
beautiful
!
"
"
Ah
,
she
is
beautiful
!
"
he
said
eagerly
.
"
Does
n't
she
look
splendid
in
her
furs
?
By
Jove
,
you
are
right
!
She
is
a
beautiful
woman
.
I
am
proud
of
her
!
"
Then
the
smile
faded
from
his
face
.
"
Beautiful
,
"
he
said
half
to
himself
,
"
but
hard
.
"
"
Come
now
,
"
said
Bernardine
;
"
you
are
surrounded
with
books
and
newspapers
.
What
shall
I
read
to
you
?
"
"
No
one
reads
what
I
want
,
"
he
answered
peevishly
.
"
My
tastes
are
not
their
tastes
.
I
do
n't
suppose
you
would
care
to
read
what
I
want
to
hear
!
"
"
Well
,
"
she
said
cheerily
,
"
try
me
.
Make
your
choice
.
"
"
Very
well
,
the
Sporting
and
Dramatic
,
"
he
said
.
"
Read
every
word
of
that
.
And
about
that
theatrical
divorce
case
.
And
every
word
of
that
too
.
Do
n't
you
skip
,
and
cheat
me
.
"
She
laughed
and
settled
herself
down
to
amuse
him
.
And
he
listened
contentedly
.
"
That
is
something
like
literature
,
"
he
said
once
or
twice
.
"
I
can
understand
papers
of
that
sort
going
like
wild-fire
.
"
When
he
was
tired
of
being
read
to
,
she
talked
to
him
in
a
manner
that
would
have
astonished
the
Disagreeable
Man
:
not
of
books
,
nor
learning
,
but
of
people
she
had
met
and
of
Places
she
had
seen
;
and
there
was
fun
in
everything
she
said
.
She
knew
London
well
,
and
she
could
tell
him
about
the
Jewish
and
the
Chinese
quarters
,
and
about
her
adventures
in
company
with
a
man
who
took
her
here
,
there
,
and
everywhere
.
She
made
him
some
tea
,
and
she
cheered
the
poor
fellow
as
he
had
not
been
cheered
for
months
.
"
You
're
just
a
little
brick
,
"
he
said
,
when
she
was
leaving
.
Then
once
more
he
added
eagerly
:
"
And
you
're
not
to
be
paid
,
are
you
?
"
"
Not
a
single
sou
!
"
she
laughed
.
"
What
a
strange
idea
of
yours
!
"
"
You
are
not
offended
?
"
he
said
anxiously
.
"
But
you
ca
n't
think
what
a
difference
it
makes
to
me
.
You
are
not
offended
?
"
"
Not
in
the
least
!
"
she
answered
.
"
I
know
quite
well
how
you
mean
it
.
You
want
a
little
kindness
with
nothing
at
the
back
of
it
.
Now
,
good-bye
!
"
He
called
her
when
she
was
outside
the
door
.
"
I
say
,
will
you
come
again
soon
?
"
"
Yes
,
I
will
come
to-morrow
.
"
"
Do
you
know
you
've
been
a
little
brick
.
I
hope
I
have
n't
tired
you
.
You
are
only
a
bit
of
a
thing
yourself
.
But
,
by
Jove
,
you
know
how
to
put
a
fellow
in
a
good
temper
!
"
When
Mrs.
Reffold
went
down
to
table-d'hôte
that
night
,
she
met
Bernardine
on
the
stairs
,
and
stopped
to
speak
with
her
.
"
We
've
had
a
splendid
afternoon
,
"
she
said
;
"
and
we
've
arranged
to
go
again
to-morrow
at
the
same
time
.
Such
a
pity
you
do
n't
come
!
Oh
,
by
the
way
,
thank
you
for
going
to
see
my
husband
.
I
hope
he
did
not
tire
you
.
He
is
a
little
querulous
,
I
think
.
He
so
enjoyed
your
visit
.
Poor
fellow
!
it
is
sad
to
see
him
so
ill
,
is
n't
it
?
"
CHAPTER
IX
.
BERNARDINE
PREACHES
.
AFTER
this
,
scarcely
a
day
passed
but
Bernardine
went
to
see
Mr.
Reffold
.
The
most
inexperienced
eye
could
have
known
that
he
was
becoming
rapidly
worse
.
Marie
,
the
chambermaid
,
knew
it
,
and
spoke
of
it
frequently
to
Bernardine
.
"
The
poor
lonely
fellow
!
"
she
said
,
time
after
time
.
Every
one
,
except
Mrs.
Reffold
,
seemed
to
recognize
that
Mr.
Reffold
's
days
were
numbered
.
Either
she
did
not
or
would
not
understand
.
She
made
no
alteration
in
the
disposal
of
her
time
:
sledging
parties
and
skating
picnics
were
the
order
of
the
day
;
she
was
thoroughly
pleased
with
herself
,
and
received
the
attentions
of
her
admirers
as
a
matter
of
course
.
The
Petershof
climate
had
got
into
her
head
;
and
it
is
a
well-known
fact
that
this
glorious
air
has
the
effect
on
some
people
of
banishing
from
their
minds
all
inconvenient
notions
of
duty
and
devotion
,
and
all
memory
of
the
special
object
of
their
sojourn
in
Petershof
.
The
coolness
and
calmness
with
which
such
people
ignore
their
responsibilities
,
or
allow
strangers
to
assume
them
,
would
be
an
occasion
for
humour
,
if
it
were
not
an
opportunity
for
indignation
:
though
indeed
it
would
take
a
very
exceptionally
sober-minded
spectator
not
to
get
some
fun
out
of
the
blissful
self-satisfaction
and
unconsciousness
which
characterize
the
most
negligent
of
'
caretakers
.
'
Mrs.
Reffold
was
not
the
only
sinner
in
this
respect
.
It
would
have
been
interesting
to
get
together
a
tea-party
of
invalids
alone
,
and
set
the
ball
rolling
about
the
respective
behaviours
of
their
respective
friends
.
Not
a
pleasing
chronicle
:
no
very
choice
pages
to
add
to
the
book
of
real
life
;
still
,
valuable
items
in
their
way
,
representative
of
the
actual
as
opposed
to
the
ideal
.
In
most
instances
there
would
have
been
ample
testimony
to
that
cruel
monster
,
known
as
Neglect
.
Bernardine
spoke
once
to
the
Disagreeable
Man
on
this
subject
.
She
spoke
with
indignation
,
and
he
answered
with
indifference
,
shrugging
his
shoulders
.
"
These
things
occur
,
"
he
said
"
It
is
not
that
they
are
worse
here
than
everywhere
else
;
it
is
simply
that
they
are
together
in
an
accumulated
mass
,
and
,
as
such
,
strike
us
with
tremendous
force
.
I
myself
am
accustomed
to
these
exhibitions
of
selfishness
and
neglect
.
I
should
be
astonished
if
they
did
not
take
place
.
Do
n't
mix
yourself
up
with
anything
.
If
people
are
neglected
,
they
are
neglected
,
and
there
is
the
end
of
it
.
To
imagine
that
you
or
I
are
going
to
do
any
good
by
filling
up
the
breach
,
is
simply
an
insanity
leading
to
unnecessarily
disagreeable
consequences
.
I
know
you
go
to
see
Mr.
Reffold
.
Take
my
advice
,
and
keep
away
.
"
"
You
speak
like
a
Calvinist
,
"
she
answered
,
rather
ruffled
,
"
with
the
quintessence
of
self-protectiveness
;
and
I
do
n't
believe
you
mean
a
word
you
say
.
"
"
My
dear
young
woman
,
"
he
said
,
"
we
are
not
living
in
a
poetry
book
bound
with
gilt
edges
.
We
are
living
in
a
paper-backed
volume
of
prose
.
Be
sensible
.
Do
n't
ruffle
yourself
on
account
of
other
people
.
Do
n't
even
trouble
to
criticize
them
;
it
is
only
a
nuisance
to
yourself
.
All
this
simply
points
back
to
my
first
suggestion
:
fill
up
your
time
with
some
hobby
,
cheese-mites
or
the
influenza
bacillus
,
and
then
you
will
be
quite
content
to
let
people
be
neglected
,
lonely
,
and
to
die
.
You
will
look
upon
it
as
an
ordinary
and
natural
process
.
"
She
waved
her
hand
as
though
to
stop
him
.
"
There
are
days
,
"
she
said
,
"
when
I
ca
n't
bear
to
talk
with
you
.
And
this
is
one
of
them
.
"
"
I
am
sorry
,
"
he
answered
,
quite
gently
for
him
.
And
he
moved
away
from
her
,
and
started
for
his
usual
lonely
walk
.
Bernardine
turned
home
,
intending
to
go
to
see
Mr.
Reffold
.
He
had
become
quite
attached
to
her
,
and
looked
forward
eagerly
to
her
visits
.
He
said
her
voice
was
gentle
and
her
manner
quiet
;
there
was
no
bustling
vitality
about
her
to
irritate
his
worn
nerves
.
He
was
probably
an
empty-headed
,
stupid
fellow
;
but
it
was
none
the
less
sad
to
see
him
passing
away
.
He
called
her
'
Little
Brick
.
'
He
said
that
no
other
epithet
suited
her
so
exactly
.
He
was
quite
satisfied
now
that
she
was
not
paid
for
coming
to
see
him
.
As
for
the
reading
,
no
one
could
read
the
Sporting
and
Dramatic
News
and
the
Era
so
well
as
Little
Brick
.
Sometimes
he
spoke
with
her
about
his
wife
,
but
only
in
general
terms
of
bitterness
,
and
not
always
complainingly
.
She
listened
and
said
nothing
.
"
I
'm
a
chap
that
wants
very
little
,
"
he
said
once
.
"
Those
who
want
little
,
get
nothing
.
"
That
was
all
he
said
,
but
Bernardine
knew
to
whom
he
referred
.
To-day
,
as
Bernardine
was
on
her
way
back
to
the
Kurhaus
,
she
was
thinking
constantly
of
Mrs.
Reffold
,
and
wondering
whether
she
ought
to
be
made
to
realize
that
her
husband
was
becoming
rapidly
worse
.
Whilst
engrossed
with
this
thought
,
a
long
train
of
sledges
and
toboggans
passed
her
.
The
sound
of
the
bells
and
the
noisy
merriment
made
her
look
up
,
and
she
saw
beautiful
Mrs.
Reffold
amongst
the
pleasure-seekers
.
"
If
only
I
dared
tell
her
now
,
"
said
Bernardine
to
herself
,
"
loudly
and
before
them
all
!
"
Then
a
more
sensible
mood
came
over
her
.
"
After
all
,
it
is
not
my
affair
,
"
she
said
.
And
the
sledges
passed
away
out
of
hearing
.
When
Bernardine
sat
with
Mr.
Reffold
that
afternoon
she
did
not
mention
that
she
had
seen
his
wife
.
He
coughed
a
great
deal
,
and
seemed
to
be
worse
than
usual
,
and
complained
of
fever
.
But
he
liked
to
have
her
,
and
would
not
hear
of
her
going
.
"
Stay
,
"
he
said
.
"
It
is
not
much
of
a
pleasure
to
you
,
but
it
is
a
great
pleasure
to
me
.
"
There
was
an
anxious
look
on
his
face
,
such
a
look
as
people
wear
when
they
wish
to
ask
some
question
of
great
moment
,
but
dare
not
begin
.
At
last
he
seemed
to
summon
up
courage
.
"
Little
Brick
,
"
he
said
,
in
a
weak
low
voice
,
"
I
have
something
on
my
mind
.
You
wo
n't
laugh
,
I
know
.
You
're
not
the
sort
.
I
know
you
're
clever
and
thoughtful
,
and
all
that
;
you
could
tell
me
more
than
all
the
parsons
put
together
.
I
know
you
're
clever
;
my
wife
says
so
.
She
says
only
a
very
clever
woman
would
wear
such
boots
and
hats
!
"
Bernardine
smiled
.
"
Well
,
"
she
said
kindly
,
"
tell
me
.
"
"
You
must
have
thought
a
good
deal
,
I
suppose
,
"
he
continued
,
"
about
life
and
death
,
and
that
sort
of
thing
.
I
've
never
thought
at
all
.
Does
it
matter
,
Little
Brick
?
It
's
too
late
now
.
I
ca
n't
begin
to
think
.
But
speak
to
me
;
tell
me
what
you
think
.
Do
you
believe
we
get
another
chance
,
and
are
glad
to
behave
less
like
curs
and
brutes
?
Or
is
it
all
ended
in
that
lonely
little
churchyard
here
?
I
've
never
troubled
about
these
things
before
,
but
now
I
know
I
am
so
near
that
gloomy
little
churchyard
—
well
,
it
makes
me
wonder
.
As
for
the
Bible
,
I
never
cared
to
read
it
,
I
was
never
much
of
a
reader
,
though
I
've
got
through
two
or
three
firework
novels
and
sporting
stories
.
Does
it
matter
,
Little
Brick
?
"
"
How
do
I
know
?
"
she
said
gently
.
"
How
does
any
one
know
?
People
say
they
know
;
but
it
is
all
a
great
mystery
—
nothing
but
a
mystery
.
Everything
that
we
say
,
can
be
but
a
guess
.
People
have
gone
mad
over
their
guessing
,
or
they
have
broken
their
hearts
.
But
still
the
mystery
remains
,
and
we
cannot
solve
it
.
"
"
If
you
do
n't
know
anything
,
Little
Brick
,
"
he
said
,
"
at
least
tell
me
what
you
think
:
and
do
n't
be
too
learned
;
remember
I
'm
only
a
brainless
fellow
.
"
He
seemed
to
be
waiting
eagerly
for
her
answer
.
"
If
I
were
you
,
"
she
said
,
"
I
should
not
worry
.
Just
make
up
your
mind
to
do
better
when
you
get
another
chance
.
One
ca
n't
do
more
than
that
.
That
is
what
I
shall
think
of
:
that
God
will
give
each
one
of
us
another
chance
,
and
that
each
one
of
us
will
take
it
and
do
better
—
I
and
you
and
every
one
.
So
there
is
no
need
to
fret
over
failure
,
when
one
hopes
one
may
be
allowed
to
redeem
that
failure
later
on
.
Besides
which
,
life
is
very
hard
.
Why
,
we
ourselves
recognize
that
.
If
there
be
a
God
,
some
Intelligence
greater
than
human
intelligence
,
he
will
understand
better
than
ourselves
that
life
is
very
hard
and
difficult
,
and
he
will
be
astonished
not
because
we
are
not
better
,
but
because
we
are
not
worse
.
At
least
,
that
would
be
my
notion
of
a
God
.
I
should
not
worry
,
if
I
were
you
.
Just
make
up
your
mind
to
do
better
if
you
get
the
chance
,
and
be
content
with
that
.
"
"
If
that
is
what
you
think
,
Little
Brick
,
"
he
answered
,
"
it
is
quite
good
enough
for
me
.
And
it
does
not
matter
about
prayers
and
the
Bible
,
and
all
that
sort
of
thing
?
"
"
I
do
n't
think
it
matters
,
"
she
said
.
"
I
never
have
thought
such
things
mattered
.
What
does
matter
,
is
to
judge
gently
,
and
not
to
come
down
like
a
sledge-hammer
on
other
people
's
failings
.
Who
are
we
,
any
of
us
,
that
we
should
be
hard
on
others
?
"
"
And
not
come
down
like
a
sledge-hammer
on
other
people
's
failings
,
"
he
repeated
slowly
.
"
I
wonder
if
I
have
ever
judged
gently
.
"
"
I
believe
you
have
,
"
she
answered
.
He
shook
his
head
.
"
No
,
"
he
said
;
"
I
have
been
a
paltry
fellow
.
I
have
been
lying
here
,
and
elsewhere
too
,
eating
my
heart
away
with
bitterness
,
until
you
came
.
Since
then
I
have
sometimes
forgotten
to
feel
bitter
.
A
little
kindness
does
away
with
a
great
deal
of
bitterness
.
"
He
turned
wearily
on
his
side
.
"
I
think
I
could
sleep
,
Little
Brick
,
"
he
said
,
almost
in
a
whisper
.
"
I
want
to
dream
about
your
sermon
.
And
I
'm
not
to
worry
,
am
I
?
"
"
No
,
"
she
answered
,
as
she
stepped
noiselessly
across
the
room
;
"
you
are
not
to
worry
.
"
CHAPTER
X
.
THE
DISAGREEABLE
MAN
IS
SEEN
IN
A
NEW
LIGHT
.
ONE
specially
fine
morning
a
knock
came
at
Bernardine
's
door
.
She
opened
it
,
and
found
Robert
Allitsen
standing
there
,
trying
to
recover
his
breath
.
"
I
am
going
to
Loschwitz
,
a
village
about
twelve
miles
off
,
"
he
said
.
"
And
I
have
ordered
a
sledge
.
Do
you
care
to
come
too
?
"
"
If
I
may
pay
my
share
,
"
she
said
.
"
Of
course
,
"
he
answered
;
"
I
did
not
suppose
you
would
like
to
be
paid
for
any
better
than
I
should
like
to
pay
for
you
.
"
Bernardine
laughed
.
"
When
do
we
start
?
"
she
asked
.
"
Now
,
"
he
answered
.
"
Bring
a
rug
,
and
also
that
shawl
of
yours
which
is
always
falling
down
,
and
come
at
once
without
any
fuss
.
We
shall
be
out
for
the
whole
day
.
What
about
Mrs.
Grundy
?
We
could
manage
to
take
her
if
you
wished
,
but
she
would
not
be
comfortable
sitting
amongst
the
photographic
apparatus
,
and
I
certainly
should
not
give
up
my
seat
to
her
.
"
"
Then
leave
her
at
home
,
"
said
Bernardine
cheerily
.
And
so
they
settled
it
.
In
less
than
a
quarter
of
an
hour
they
had
started
;
and
Bernardine
leaned
luxuriously
back
to
enjoy
to
the
full
her
first
sledge-drive
.
It
was
all
new
to
her
:
the
swift
passing
through
the
crisp
air
without
any
sensation
of
motion
;
the
sleepy
tinkling
of
the
bells
on
the
horses
'
heads
;
the
noiseless
cutting
through
of
the
snow-path
.
All
these
weeks
she
had
known
nothing
of
the
country
,
and
now
she
found
herself
in
the
snow
fairy-land
of
which
the
Disagreeable
Man
had
often
spoken
to
her
.
Around
,
vast
plains
of
untouched
snow
,
whiter
than
any
dream
of
whiteness
,
jewelled
by
the
sunshine
with
priceless
diamonds
,
numberless
as
the
sands
of
the
sea
.
The
great
pines
bearing
their
burden
of
snow
patiently
;
others
,
less
patient
,
having
shaken
themselves
free
from
what
the
heavens
had
sent
them
to
bear
.
And
now
the
streams
,
flowing
on
reluctantly
over
ice-coated
rocks
,
and
the
ice
cathedrals
formed
by
the
icicles
between
the
rocks
.
And
always
the
same
silence
,
save
for
the
tinkling
of
the
horses
'
bells
.
On
the
heights
the
quaint
chalets
,
some
merely
huts
for
storing
wood
;
on
others
,
farms
,
or
the
homes
of
peasants
;
some
dark
brown
,
almost
black
,
betraying
their
age
;
others
of
a
paler
hue
,
showing
that
the
sun
had
not
yet
mellowed
them
into
a
deep
rich
colour
.
And
on
all
alike
,
the
fringe
of
icicles
.
A
wonderful
white
world
.
It
was
a
long
time
before
Bernardine
even
wished
to
speak
.
This
beautiful
whiteness
may
become
monotonous
after
a
time
,
but
there
is
something
very
awe-inspiring
about
it
,
something
which
catches
the
soul
and
holds
it
.
The
Disagreeable
Man
sat
quietly
by
her
side
.
Once
or
twice
he
bent
forward
to
protect
the
camera
when
the
sledge
gave
a
lurch
.
After
some
time
they
met
a
procession
of
sledges
laden
with
timber
;
and
August
,
the
driver
,
and
Robert
Allitsen
exchanged
some
fun
and
merriment
with
the
drivers
in
their
quaint
blue
smocks
.
The
noise
of
the
conversation
,
and
the
excitement
of
getting
past
the
sledges
,
brought
Bernardine
back
to
speech
again
.
"
I
have
never
before
enjoyed
anything
so
much
,
"
she
said
.
"
So
you
have
found
your
tongue
,
"
he
said
.
"
Do
you
mind
talking
a
little
now
?
I
feel
rather
lonely
.
"
This
was
said
in
such
a
pathetic
,
aggrieved
tone
,
that
Bernardine
laughed
and
looked
at
her
companion
.
His
face
wore
an
unusually
bright
expression
.
He
was
evidently
out
to
enjoy
himself
.
"
You
talk
,
"
she
said
;
"
and
tell
me
all
about
the
country
.
"
And
he
told
her
what
he
knew
,
and
,
amongst
other
things
,
about
the
avalanches
.
He
was
able
to
point
out
where
some
had
fallen
the
previous
year
.
He
stopped
in
the
middle
of
his
conversation
to
tell
her
to
put
up
her
umbrella
.
"
I
ca
n't
trouble
to
hold
it
for
you
,
"
he
said
;
"
but
I
do
n't
mind
opening
it
.
The
sun
is
blazing
to-day
,
and
you
will
get
your
eyes
bad
if
you
are
not
careful
.
That
would
be
a
pity
,
for
you
seem
to
me
rather
better
lately
.
"
"
What
a
confession
for
you
to
make
of
any
one
!
"
said
she
.
"
Oh
,
I
do
n't
mean
to
say
that
you
will
ever
get
well
,
"
he
added
grimly
.
"
You
seem
to
have
pulled
yourself
in
too
many
directions
for
that
.
You
have
tried
to
be
too
alive
;
and
,
now
you
are
obliged
to
join
the
genus
cabbage
.
"
"
I
am
certainly
less
ill
than
I
was
when
I
first
came
,
"
she
said
;
"
and
I
feel
in
a
better
frame
of
mind
altogether
.
I
am
learning
a
good
deal
in
sad
Petershof
.
"
"
That
is
more
than
I
have
done
,
"
he
answered
.
"
Well
,
perhaps
you
teach
instead
,
"
she
said
.
"
You
have
taught
me
several
things
.
Now
,
go
on
telling
me
about
the
country
people
.
You
like
them
?
"
"
I
love
them
,
"
he
said
simply
.
"
I
know
them
well
,
and
they
know
me
.
You
see
I
have
been
in
this
district
so
long
now
,
and
have
walked
about
so
much
,
that
the
very
wood
cutters
know
me
;
and
the
drivers
give
me
lifts
on
their
piles
of
timber
.
"
"
You
are
not
surly
with
the
poor
people
,
then
?
"
said
Bernardine
;
"
though
I
must
say
I
cannot
imagine
you
being
genial
.
Were
you
ever
genial
,
I
wonder
?
"
"
I
do
n't
think
that
has
ever
been
laid
to
my
charge
,
"
he
answered
.
The
time
passed
away
pleasantly
.
The
Disagreeable
Man
was
scarcely
himself
to-day
;
or
was
it
that
he
was
more
like
himself
?
He
seemed
in
a
boyish
mood
;
he
made
fun
out
of
nothing
,
and
laughed
with
such
young
fresh
laughter
,
that
even
August
,
the
grave
blue-spectacled
driver
,
was
moved
to
mirth
.
As
for
Bernardine
,
she
had
to
look
at
Robert
Allitsen
several
times
to
be
sure
that
he
was
the
same
Robert
Allitsen
she
had
known
two
hours
ago
in
Petershof
.
But
she
made
no
remark
,
and
showed
no
surprise
,
but
met
his
merriness
half
way
.
No
one
could
be
a
cheerier
companion
than
herself
when
she
chose
.
At
last
they
arrived
at
Loschwitz
.
The
sledge
wound
its
way
through
the
sloshy
streets
of
the
queer
little
village
,
and
finally
drew
up
in
front
of
the
Gasthaus
.
It
was
a
black
sunburnt
châlet
,
with
green
shutters
,
and
steps
leading
up
to
a
green
balcony
.
A
fringe
of
sausages
hung
from
the
roof
;
red
bedding
was
scorching
in
the
sunshine
;
three
cats
were
sunning
themselves
on
the
steps
;
a
young
woman
sat
in
the
green
balcony
knitting
.
There
were
some
curious
inscriptions
on
the
walls
of
the
châlet
,
and
the
date
was
distinctly
marked
,
"
1670.
"
An
old
woman
over
the
way
sat
in
her
doorway
spinning
.
She
looked
up
as
the
sledge
stopped
before
the
Gasthaus
;
but
the
young
woman
in
the
green
balcony
went
on
knitting
,
and
saw
nothing
.
A
buxom
elderly
Hausfrau
,
came
out
to
greet
the
guests
.
She
wore
a
naturally
kind
expression
on
her
old
face
,
but
when
she
saw
who
the
gentleman
was
,
the
kindness
positive
increased
to
kindness
superlative
.
She
first
retired
and
called
out
:
"
Liza
,
Fritz
,
Liza
,
Trüdchen
,
come
quickly
!
"
Then
she
came
back
,
and
cried
:
"
Herr
Allitsen
,
what
a
surprise
!
"
She
shook
his
hand
times
without
number
,
greeted
Bernardine
with
motherly
tenderness
,
and
interspersed
all
her
remarks
with
frantic
cries
of
"
Liza
,
Fritz
,
Trüdchen
,
make
haste
!
"
She
became
very
hot
and
excited
,
and
gesticulated
violently
.
All
this
time
the
young
woman
sat
knitting
,
but
not
looking
up
.
She
had
been
beautiful
,
but
her
face
was
worn
now
,
and
her
eyes
had
that
vacant
stare
which
betokened
the
vacant
mind
.
The
mother
whispered
to
Robert
Allitsen
:
"
She
notices
no
one
now
;
she
sits
there
always
waiting
.
"
Tears
came
into
the
kind
old
eyes
.
Robert
Allitsen
went
and
bent
down
to
the
young
woman
,
and
held
out
his
hand
.
"
Catharina
,
"
he
said
gently
.
She
looked
up
then
,
and
saw
him
,
and
recognized
him
.
Then
the
sad
face
smiled
a
welcome
.
He
sat
near
her
,
and
took
her
knitting
in
his
hand
,
pretending
to
examine
what
she
had
done
,
chatting
to
her
quietly
all
the
time
.
He
asked
her
what
she
had
been
doing
with
herself
since
he
had
last
seen
her
,
and
she
said
:
"
Waiting
.
I
am
always
waiting
.
"
He
knew
that
she
referred
to
her
lover
,
who
had
been
lost
in
an
avalanche
the
eve
before
their
wedding
morning
.
That
was
four
years
ago
,
but
Catharina
was
still
waiting
.
Allitsen
remembered
her
as
a
bright
young
girl
,
singing
in
the
Gasthaus
,
waiting
cheerfully
on
the
guests
:
a
bright
gracious
presence
.
No
one
could
cook
trout
as
she
could
;
many
a
dish
of
trout
had
she
served
up
for
him
.
And
now
she
sat
in
the
sunshine
,
knitting
and
waiting
,
scarcely
ever
looking
up
.
That
was
her
life
.
"
Catharina
,
"
he
said
,
as
he
gave
her
back
her
knitting
,
"
do
you
remember
how
you
used
to
cook
me
the
trout
?
"
Another
smile
passed
over
her
face
.
Yes
,
she
remembered
.
"
Will
you
cook
me
some
to-day
?
"
She
shook
her
head
,
and
returned
to
her
knitting
.
Bernardine
watched
the
Disagreeable
Man
with
amazement
.
She
could
not
have
believed
that
his
manner
could
be
so
tender
and
kindly
.
The
old
mother
standing
near
her
whispered
:
"
He
was
always
so
good
to
us
all
;
we
love
him
,
every
one
of
us
.
When
poor
Catharina
was
betrothed
five
years
ago
,
it
was
to
Herr
Allitsen
we
first
told
the
good
news
.
He
has
a
wonderful
way
about
him
—
just
look
at
him
with
Catharina
now
.
She
has
not
noticed
any
one
for
months
,
but
she
knows
him
,
you
see
.
"
At
that
moment
the
other
members
of
the
household
came
:
Liza
,
Fritz
,
and
Trüdchen
;
Liza
,
a
maiden
of
nineteen
,
of
the
homely
Swiss
type
;
Fritz
,
a
handsome
lad
of
fourteen
;
and
Trüdchen
,
just
free
from
school
,
with
her
school-satchel
swung
on
her
back
.
There
was
no
shyness
in
their
greeting
;
the
Disagreeable
Man
was
evidently
an
old
and
much-loved
friend
,
and
inspired
confidence
,
not
awe
.
Trüdchen
fumbled
in
his
coat
pocket
,
and
found
what
she
expected
to
find
there
,
some
sweets
,
which
she
immediately
began
to
eat
,
perfectly
contented
and
self-satisfied
.
She
smiled
and
nodded
at
Robert
Allitsen
,
as
though
to
reassure
him
that
the
sweets
were
not
bad
,
and
that
she
was
enjoying
them
.
"
Liza
will
see
to
lunch
,
"
said
the
old
mother
.
"
You
shall
have
some
mutton
cutlets
and
some
forellen
.
But
before
she
goes
,
she
has
something
to
tell
you
.
"
"
I
am
betrothed
to
Hans
,
"
Liza
said
,
blushing
.
"
I
always
knew
you
were
fond
of
Hans
,
"
said
the
Disagreeable
Man
.
"
He
is
a
good
fellow
,
Liza
,
and
I
'm
glad
you
love
him
.
But
have
n't
you
just
teased
him
!
"
"
That
was
good
for
him
,
"
Liza
said
brightly
.
"
Is
he
here
to-day
?
"
Robert
Allitsen
asked
.
Liza
nodded
.
"
Then
I
shall
take
your
photographs
,
"
he
said
.
While
they
had
been
speaking
,
Catharina
rose
from
her
seat
,
and
passed
into
the
house
.
Her
mother
followed
her
,
and
watched
her
go
into
the
kitchen
.
"
I
should
like
to
cook
the
forellen
,
"
she
said
very
quietly
.
It
was
months
since
she
had
done
anything
in
the
house
.
The
old
mother
's
heart
beat
with
pleasure
.
"
Catharina
,
my
best
loved
child
!
"
she
whispered
;
and
she
gathered
the
poor
suffering
soul
near
to
her
.
In
about
half
an
hour
the
Disagreeable
Man
and
Bernardine
sat
down
to
their
meal
.
Robert
Allitsen
had
ordered
a
bottle
of
Sassella
,
and
he
was
just
pouring
it
out
when
Catharina
brought
in
the
forellen
.
"
Why
,
Catharina
,
"
he
said
,
"
you
do
n't
mean
you
've
cooked
them
?
Then
they
will
be
good
!
"
She
smiled
,
and
seemed
pleased
,
and
then
went
out
of
the
room
.
Then
he
told
Bernardine
her
history
,
and
spoke
with
such
kindness
and
sympathy
that
Bernardine
was
again
amazed
at
him
.
But
she
made
no
remark
.
"
Catharina
was
always
sorry
that
I
was
ill
,
"
he
said
.
"
When
I
stayed
here
,
as
I
have
done
,
for
weeks
together
,
she
used
to
take
every
care
of
me
.
And
it
was
a
kindly
sympathy
which
I
could
not
resent
.
In
those
days
I
was
suffering
more
than
I
have
done
for
a
long
time
now
,
and
she
was
very
pitiful
.
She
could
not
bear
to
hear
me
cough
.
I
used
to
tell
her
that
she
must
learn
not
to
feel
.
But
you
see
she
did
not
learn
her
lesson
,
for
when
this
trouble
came
on
her
,
she
felt
too
much
.
And
you
see
what
she
is
.
"
They
had
a
cheery
meal
together
,
and
then
Bernardine
talked
with
the
old
mother
,
whilst
the
Disagreeable
Man
busied
himself
with
his
camera
.
Liza
was
for
putting
on
her
best
dress
,
and
doing
her
hair
in
some
wonderful
way
.
But
he
would
not
hear
of
such
a
thing
.
But
seeing
that
she
looked
disappointed
,
he
gave
in
,
and
said
she
should
be
photographed
just
as
she
wished
;
and
off
she
ran
to
change
her
attire
.
She
went
up
to
her
room
a
picturesque
,
homely
working
girl
,
and
she
came
down
a
tidy
,
awkward-looking
young
woman
,
with
all
her
finery
on
,
and
all
her
charm
off
.
The
Disagreeable
Man
grunted
,
but
said
nothing
.
Then
Hans
arrived
,
and
then
came
the
posing
,
which
caused
much
amusement
.
They
both
stood
perfectly
straight
,
just
as
a
soldier
stands
before
presenting
arms
.
Both
faces
were
perfectly
expressionless
.
The
Disagreeable
Man
was
in
despair
.
"
Look
happy
!
"
he
entreated
.
They
tried
to
smile
,
but
the
anxiety
to
do
so
produced
an
expression
of
melancholy
which
was
too
much
for
the
gravity
of
the
photographer
.
He
laughed
heartily
.
"
Look
as
though
you
were
n't
going
to
be
photographed
,
"
he
suggested
.
"
Liza
,
for
goodness
'
sake
look
as
though
you
were
baking
the
bread
;
and
Hans
,
try
and
believe
that
you
are
doing
some
of
your
beautiful
carving
.
"
The
patience
of
the
photographer
was
something
wonderful
.
At
last
he
succeeded
in
making
them
appear
at
their
ease
.
And
then
he
told
Liza
that
she
must
go
and
change
her
dress
,
and
be
photographed
now
in
the
way
he
wished
.
She
came
down
again
,
looking
fifty
times
prettier
in
her
working
clothes
.
Now
he
was
in
his
element
.
He
arranged
Liza
and
Hans
on
the
sledge
of
timber
,
which
had
then
driven
up
,
and
made
a
picturesque
group
of
them
all
:
Hans
and
Liza
sitting
side
by
side
on
the
timber
,
the
horses
standing
there
so
patiently
after
their
long
journey
through
the
forests
,
the
driver
leaning
against
his
sledge
smoking
his
long
china
pipe
.
"
That
will
be
something
like
a
picture
,
"
he
said
to
Bernardine
,
when
the
performance
was
over
.
"
Now
I
am
going
for
about
a
mile
's
walk
.
Will
you
come
with
me
and
see
what
I
am
going
to
photograph
,
or
will
you
rest
here
till
I
come
back
?
"
She
chose
the
latter
,
and
during
his
absence
was
shown
the
treasures
and
possessions
of
a
Swiss
peasant
's
home
.
She
was
taken
to
see
the
cows
in
the
stalls
,
and
had
a
lecture
given
her
on
the
respective
merits
of
Schneewitchen
,
a
white
cow
,
Kartoffelkuehen
,
a
dark
brown
one
,
and
RÃ¶slein
,
the
beauty
of
them
all
.
Then
she
looked
at
the
spinning-wheel
,
and
watched
the
old
Hausfrau
turn
the
treadle
.
And
so
the
time
passed
,
Bernardine
making
,
good
friends
of
them
all
.
Catharina
had
returned
to
her
knitting
,
and
began
working
,
and
,
as
before
,
not
noticing
any
one
.
But
Bernardine
sat
by
her
side
,
playing
with
the
cat
,
and
after
a
time
Catharina
looked
up
at
Bernardine
's
little
thin
face
,
and
,
after
some
hesitation
,
stroked
it
gently
with
her
hand
.
"
Fräulein
is
not
strong
,
"
she
said
tenderly
.
"
If
Fräulein
lived
here
,
I
should
take
care
of
her
.
"
That
was
a
remnant
of
Catharina
's
past
.
She
had
always
loved
everything
that
was
ailing
and
weakly
.
Her
hand
rested
on
Bernardine
's
hand
.
Bernardine
pressed
it
in
kindly
sympathy
,
thinking
the
while
of
the
girl
's
past
happiness
and
present
bereavement
.
"
Liza
is
betrothed
,
"
she
said
,
as
though
to
herself
.
"
They
do
n't
tell
me
;
but
I
know
.
I
was
betrothed
once
.
"
She
went
on
knitting
.
And
that
was
all
she
said
of
herself
.
Then
after
a
pause
she
said
:
"
Fräulein
is
betrothed
?
"
Bernardine
smiled
,
and
shook
her
head
,
and
Catharina
made
no
further
inquiries
.
But
she
looked
up
from
her
work
from
time
to
time
,
and
seemed
pleased
that
Bernardine
still
stayed
with
her
.
At
last
the
old
mother
came
to
say
that
the
coffee
was
ready
,
and
Bernardine
followed
her
into
the
parlour
.
She
watched
Bernardine
drinking
the
coffee
,
and
finally
poured
herself
out
a
cup
too
.
"
This
is
the
first
time
Herr
Allitsen
has
ever
brought
a
friend
,
"
she
said
.
"
He
has
always
been
alone
.
Fräulein
is
betrothed
to
Herr
Allitsen
—
is
that
so
?
Ah
,
I
am
glad
.
He
is
so
good
and
,
so
kind
.
"
Bernardine
stopped
drinking
her
coffee
.
"
No
,
I
am
not
betrothed
,
"
she
said
cheerily
.
"
We
are
just
friends
;
and
not
always
that
either
.
We
quarrel
.
"
"
All
lovers
do
that
,
"
persisted
Frau
Steinhart
triumphantly
.
"
Well
,
you
ask
him
yourself
,
"
said
Bernardine
,
much
amused
.
She
had
never
looked
upon
Robert
Allitsen
in
that
light
before
.
"
See
,
there
he
comes
!
"
Bernardine
was
not
present
at
the
court
martial
,
but
this
was
what
occurred
.
Whilst
the
Disagreeable
Man
was
paying
the
reckoning
,
Frau
Steinhart
said
in
her
most
motherly
tones
:
"
Fräulein
is
a
very
dear
young
lady
:
Herr
Allitsen
has
made
a
wise
choice
.
He
is
betrothed
at
last
!
"
The
Disagreeable
Man
stopped
counting
out
the
money
.
"
Stupid
old
Frau
Steinhart
!
"
he
said
good-naturedly
.
"
People
like
myself
do
n't
get
betrothed
.
We
get
buried
instead
!
"
"
Na
,
na
!
"
she
answered
.
"
What
a
thing
to
say
—
and
so
unlike
you
too
!
No
,
but
tell
me
!
"
"
Well
,
I
am
telling
you
the
truth
,
"
he
replied
.
"
If
you
wo
n't
believe
me
,
ask
Fräulein
herself
.
"
"
I
have
asked
her
,
"
said
Frau
Steinhart
,
"
and
she
told
me
to
ask
you
.
"
The
Disagreeable
Man
was
much
amused
.
He
had
never
thought
of
Bernardine
in
that
way
.
He
paid
the
bill
,
and
then
did
something
which
rather
astonished
Frau
Steinhart
,
and
half
convinced
her
.
He
took
the
bill
to
Bernardine
,
told
her
the
amount
of
her
share
,
and
she
repaid
him
then
and
there
.
There
was
a
twinkle
in
her
eye
as
she
looked
up
at
him
.
Then
the
composure
of
her
features
relaxed
,
and
she
laughed
.
He
laughed
too
,
but
no
comment
was
made
upon
the
episode
.
Then
began
the
goodbyes
,
and
the
preparations
for
the
return
journey
.
Bernardine
bent
over
Catharina
,
and
kissed
her
sad
face
.
"
Fräulein
will
come
again
?
"
she
whispered
eagerly
.
And
Bernardine
promised
.
There
was
something
in
Bernardine
's
manner
which
had
won
the
poor
girl
's
fancy
:
some
unspoken
sympathy
,
some
quiet
geniality
.
Just
as
they
were
starting
,
Frau
Steinhart
whispered
to
Robert
Allitsen
:
"
It
is
a
little
disappointing
to
me
,
Herr
Allitsen
.
I
did
so
hope
you
were
betrothed
.
"
August
,
the
blue-spectacled
driver
,
cracked
his
whip
,
and
off
the
horses
started
homewards
.
For
some
time
there
was
no
conversation
between
the
two
occupants
of
the
sledge
.
Bernardine
,
was
busy
thinking
about
the
experiences
of
the
day
,
and
the
Disagreeable
Man
seemed
in
a
brown
study
.
At
last
he
broke
the
silence
by
asking
her
how
she
liked
his
friends
,
and
what
she
thought
of
Swiss
home
life
;
and
so
the
time
passed
pleasantly
.
He
looked
at
her
once
,
and
said
she
seemed
cold
.
"
You
are
not
warmly
clothed
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
have
an
extra
coat
.
Put
it
on
;
do
n't
make
a
fuss
but
do
so
at
once
.
I
know
the
climate
and
you
do
n't
.
"
She
obeyed
,
and
said
she
was
all
the
cosier
for
it
.
As
they
were
nearing
Petershof
,
he
said
half-nervously
:
"
So
my
friends
took
you
for
my
betrothed
.
I
hope
you
are
not
offended
.
"
"
Why
should
I
be
?
"
she
said
frankly
.
"
I
was
only
amused
,
because
there
never
were
two
people
less
lover-like
than
you
and
I
are
.
"
"
No
,
that
's
quite
true
,
"
he
replied
,
in
a
tone
of
voice
which
betokened
relief
.
"
So
that
I
really
do
n't
see
that
we
need
concern
ourselves
further
in
the
matter
,
"
she
added
wishing
to
put
him
quite
at
his
ease
.
"
I
'm
not
offended
,
and
you
are
not
offended
,
and
there
's
an
end
of
it
.
"
"
You
seem
to
me
to
be
a
very
sensible
young
woman
in
some
respects
,
"
the
Disagreeable
Man
remarked
after
a
pause
.
He
was
now
quite
cheerful
again
,
and
felt
he
could
really
praise
his
companion
.
"
Although
you
have
read
so
much
,
you
seem
to
me
sometimes
to
take
a
sensible
view
of
things
.
Now
,
I
do
n't
want
to
be
betrothed
to
you
,
any
more
than
I
suppose
you
want
to
be
betrothed
to
me
.
And
yet
we
can
talk
quietly
about
the
matter
without
a
scene
.
That
would
be
impossible
with
most
women
.
"
Bernardine
laughed
.
"
Well
,
I
only
know
,
"
she
said
cheerily
,
"
that
I
have
enjoyed
my
day
very
much
,
and
I
'm
much
obliged
to
you
for
your
companionship
.
The
fresh
air
,
and
the
change
of
surroundings
,
will
have
done
me
good
.
"
His
reply
was
characteristic
of
him
.
"
It
is
the
least
disagreeable
day
I
have
spent
for
many
months
,
"
he
said
quietly
.
"
Let
me
settle
with
you
for
the
sledge
now
,
"
she
said
,
drawing
out
her
purse
,
just
as
they
came
in
sight
of
the
Kurhaus
.
They
settled
money
matters
,
and
were
quits
.
Then
he
helped
her
out
of
the
sledge
,
and
he
stooped
to
pick
up
the
shawl
she
dropped
.
"
Here
is
the
shawl
you
are
always
dropping
,
"
he
said
.
"
You
're
rather
cold
,
are
n't
you
?
Here
,
come
to
the
restaurant
and
have
some
brandy
.
Do
n't
make
a
fuss
.
I
know
what
's
the
right
thing
for
you
!
"
She
followed
him
to
the
restaurant
,
touched
by
his
rough
kindness
.
He
himself
took
nothing
,
but
he
paid
for
her
brandy
.
That
evening
after
table-d'hôte
,
or
rather
after
he
had
finished
his
dinner
,
he
rose
to
go
to
his
room
as
usual
.
He
generally
went
off
without
a
remark
.
But
to-night
he
said
:
"
Good-night
,
and
thank
you
for
your
companionship
.
It
has
been
my
birthday
to-day
,
and
I
've
quite
enjoyed
it
.
"
CHAPTER
XI
.
"
IF
ONE
HAS
MADE
THE
ONE
GREAT
SACRIFICE
.
"
THERE
was
a
suicide
in
the
Kurhaus
one
afternoon
.
A
Dutchman
,
Vandervelt
,
had
received
rather
a
bad
account
of
himself
from
the
doctor
a
few
days
previously
,
and
in
a
fit
of
depression
,
so
it
was
thought
,
he
had
put
a
bullet
through
his
head
.
It
had
occurred
through
Marie
's
unconscious
agency
.
She
found
him
lying
on
his
sofa
when
she
went
as
usual
to
take
him
his
afternoon
glass
of
milk
.
He
asked
her
to
give
him
a
packet
which
was
on
the
top
shelf
of
his
cupboard
.
"
Willingly
,
"
she
said
,
and
she
jumped
nimbly
on
the
chair
,
and
gave
him
the
case
.
"
Anything
more
?
"
she
asked
kindly
,
as
she
watched
him
draw
himself
up
from
the
sofa
.
She
thought
at
the
time
that
he
looked
wild
and
strange
;
but
then
,
as
she
pathetically
said
afterwards
,
who
did
not
look
wild
and
strange
in
the
Kurhaus
?
"
Yes
,
"
he
said
.
"
Here
are
five
francs
for
you
.
"
She
thought
that
rather
unusual
too
;
but
five
francs
,
especially
coming
unexpectedly
like
that
,
were
not
to
be
despised
,
and
Marie
determined
to
send
them
off
to
that
Mutterli
at
home
in
the
nut-brown
châlet
at
Grüsch
.
So
she
thanked
Mynheer
van
Vandervelt
,
and
went
off
to
her
pantry
to
drink
some
cold
tea
which
the
English
people
had
left
,
and
to
clean
the
lamps
.
Having
done
that
,
and
knowing
that
the
matron
was
busily
engaged
carrying
on
a
flirtation
with
a
young
Frenchman
,
Marie
took
out
her
writing
materials
,
and
began
a
letter
to
her
old
mother
.
These
peasants
know
how
to
love
each
other
,
and
some
of
them
know
how
to
tell
each
other
too
.
Marie
knew
.
And
she
told
her
mother
of
the
gifts
she
was
bringing
home
,
the
little
nothings
given
her
by
the
guests
.
She
was
very
happy
writing
this
letter
:
the
little
nut-brown
home
rose
before
her
.
"
Ach
!
"
she
said
,
"
how
I
long
to
be
home
!
"
And
then
she
put
down
her
pen
,
and
sighed
.
"
Ach
!
"
she
said
,
"
and
when
I
'm
there
,
I
shall
long
to
be
here
.
Da
wo
ich
nicht
bin
,
da
ist
das
Gluck
.
"
Marie
was
something
of
a
philosopher
.
Suddenly
she
heard
the
report
of
a
pistol
,
followed
by
a
second
report
.
She
dashed
out
of
her
little
pantry
,
and
ran
in
the
direction
of
the
sound
.
She
saw
Wäli
in
the
passage
.
He
was
looking
scared
,
and
his
letters
had
fallen
to
the
ground
.
He
pointed
to
No.
54.
It
was
the
Dutchman
's
room
.
Help
arrived
.
The
door
was
forced
open
,
and
Vandervelt
was
found
dead
.
The
case
from
which
he
had
taken
the
pistol
was
lying
on
the
sofa
.
When
Marie
saw
that
,
she
knew
that
she
had
been
an
unconscious
accomplice
.
Her
tender
heart
overflowed
with
grief
.
Whilst
others
were
lifting
him
up
,
she
leaned
her
head
against
the
wall
,
and
sobbed
.
"
It
was
my
fault
,
it
was
my
fault
!
"
she
cried
.
"
I
gave
him
the
case
.
But
how
was
I
to
know
?
"
They
took
her
away
,
and
tried
to
comfort
her
,
but
it
was
all
in
vain
.
"
And
he
gave
me
five
francs
,
"
she
sobbed
.
"
I
shudder
to
think
of
them
.
"
It
was
all
in
vain
that
Wäli
gave
her
a
letter
for
which
she
had
been
longing
for
many
days
.
"
It
is
from
your
Mutterli
,
"
he
said
,
as
he
put
it
into
her
hands
.
"
I
give
it
willingly
.
I
do
n't
like
the
look
of
one
or
two
of
the
letters
I
have
to
give
you
,
Mariechen
.
That
Hans
writes
to
you
.
Confound
him
!
"
But
nothing
could
cheer
her
.
Wäli
went
away
shaking
his
curly
head
sadly
,
shocked
at
the
death
of
the
Dutchman
,
and
shocked
at
Marie
's
sorrow
.
And
the
cheery
little
postman
did
not
do
much
whistling
that
evening
.
Bernardine
heard
of
Marie
's
trouble
,
and
rang
for
her
to
come
.
Marie
answered
the
bell
,
looking
the
picture
of
misery
.
Her
kind
face
was
tear-stained
,
and
her
only
voice
was
a
sob
.
Bernardine
drew
the
girl
to
her
.
"
Poor
old
Marie
,
"
she
whispered
.
"
Come
and
cry
your
kind
heart
out
,
and
then
you
will
feel
better
.
Sit
by
me
here
,
and
do
n't
try
to
speak
.
And
I
will
make
you
some
tea
in
true
English
fashion
,
and
you
must
take
it
hot
,
and
it
will
do
you
good
.
"
The
simple
sisterly
kindness
and
silent
sympathy
soothed
Marie
after
a
time
.
The
sobs
ceased
,
and
the
tears
also
.
And
Marie
put
her
hand
in
her
pocket
and
gave
Bernardine
the
five
francs
.
"
Fräulein
Holme
,
I
hate
them
.
"
she
said
.
"
I
could
never
keep
them
.
How
could
I
send
them
now
to
my
old
mother
?
They
would
bring
her
ill
luck
—
indeed
they
would
.
"
The
matter
was
solved
by
Bernardine
in
a
masterly
fashion
.
She
suggested
that
Marie
should
buy
flowers
with
the
money
,
and
put
them
on
the
Dutchman
's
coffin
.
This
idea
comforted
Marie
beyond
Bernardine
's
most
sanguine
expectations
.
"
A
beautiful
tin
wreath
,
"
she
said
several
times
.
"
I
know
the
exact
kind
.
When
my
father
died
,
we
put
one
on
his
grave
.
"
That
same
evening
,
during
table-d'hôte
,
Bernardine
told
the
Disagreeable
Man
the
history
of
the
afternoon
.
He
had
been
developing
photographs
,
and
had
heard
nothing
.
He
seemed
very
little
interested
in
her
relation
of
the
suicide
,
and
merely
remarked
:
"
Well
,
there
's
one
person
less
in
the
world
.
"
"
I
think
you
make
these
remarks
from
habit
,
"
Bernardine
said
quietly
,
and
she
went
on
with
her
dinner
,
attempting
no
further
conversation
with
him
.
She
herself
had
been
much
moved
by
the
sad
occurrence
;
every
one
in
the
Kurhaus
was
more
or
less
upset
;
and
there
was
a
thoughtful
,
anxious
expression
on
more
than
one
ordinarily
thoughtless
face
.
The
little
French
danseuse
was
quiet
:
the
Portuguese
ladies
were
decidedly
tearful
,
the
vulgar
German
Baroness
was
quite
depressed
:
the
comedian
at
the
Belgian
table
ate
his
dinner
in
silence
.
In
fact
,
there
was
a
weight
pressing
down
on
all
.
Was
it
really
possible
,
thought
Bernardine
,
that
Robert
Allitsen
was
the
only
one
there
unconcerned
and
unmoved
?
She
had
seen
him
in
a
different
light
amongst
his
friends
,
the
country
folk
,
but
it
was
just
a
glimpse
which
had
not
lasted
long
.
The
young-
heartedness
,
the
geniality
,
the
sympathy
which
had
so
astonished
her
during
their
day
's
outing
,
astonished
her
still
more
by
their
total
disappearance
.
The
gruffness
had
returned
:
or
had
it
never
been
absent
?
The
lovelessness
and
leadenness
of
his
temperament
had
once
more
asserted
themselves
:
or
was
it
that
they
had
never
for
one
single
day
been
in
the
background
?
These
thoughts
passed
through
her
mind
as
he
sat
next
to
her
reading
his
paper
—
that
paper
which
he
never
passed
on
to
any
one
.
She
hardened
her
heart
against
him
;
there
was
no
need
for
ill-health
and
disappointment
to
have
brought
any
one
to
a
miserable
state
of
indifference
like
that
.
Then
she
looked
at
his
wan
face
and
frail
form
,
and
her
heart
softened
at
once
.
At
the
moment
when
her
heart
softened
to
him
,
he
astonished
her
by
handing
her
his
paper
.
"
Here
is
something
to
interest
you
,
"
he
said
,
"
an
article
on
Realism
in
Fiction
,
or
some
nonsense
like
that
.
You
need
n't
read
it
now
.
I
do
n't
want
the
paper
again
.
'
'
"
I
thought
you
never
lent
anything
,
"
she
said
,
as
she
glanced
at
the
article
,
"
much
less
gave
it
.
"
"
Giving
and
lending
are
not
usually
in
my
line
,
"
he
replied
.
"
I
think
I
told
you
once
that
I
thought
selfishness
perfectly
desirable
and
legitimate
,
if
one
had
made
the
one
great
sacrifice
.
"
"
Yes
,
"
she
said
eagerly
,
"
I
have
often
wondered
what
you
considered
the
one
great
sacrifice
.
"
"
Come
out
into
the
air
,
"
he
answered
,
"
and
I
will
tell
you
.
"
She
went
to
put
on
her
cloak
and
,
hat
,
and
found
him
waiting
for
her
at
the
top
of
the
staircase
.
They
passed
out
into
the
beautiful
night
:
the
sky
was
radiantly
bejewelled
,
the
air
crisp
and
cold
,
and
harmless
to
do
ill.
In
the
distance
,
the
jodelling
of
some
peasants
.
In
the
hotels
,
the
fun
and
merriment
,
side
by
side
with
the
suffering
and
hopelessness
.
In
the
deaconess
's
house
,
the
body
of
the
Dutchman
.
In
God
's
heavens
,
God
's
stars
.
Robert
Allitsen
and
Bernardine
walked
silently
for
some
time
.
"
Well
,
"
she
said
,
"
now
tell
me
.
"
"
The
one
great
sacrifice
,
"
he
said
half
to
himself
,
"
is
the
going
on
living
one
's
life
for
the
sake
of
another
,
when
everything
that
would
seem
to
make
life
acceptable
has
been
wrenched
away
,
not
the
pleasures
,
but
the
duties
,
and
the
possibilities
of
expressing
one
's
energies
,
either
in
one
direction
or
another
:
when
,
in
fact
,
living
is
only
a
long
tedious
dying
.
If
one
has
made
this
sacrifice
,
everything
else
may
be
forgiven
.
"
He
paused
a
moment
,
and
then
continued
:
"
I
have
made
this
sacrifice
,
therefore
I
consider
I
have
done
my
part
without
flinching
.
The
greatest
thing
I
had
to
give
up
,
I
gave
up
:
my
death
.
More
could
not
be
required
of
any
one
!
"
He
paused
again
,
and
Bernardine
was
silent
from
mere
awe
.
"
But
freedom
comes
at
last
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
some
day
I
shall
be
free
.
When
my
mother
dies
,
I
shall
be
free
.
She
is
old
.
If
I
were
to
die
,
