Part 54 (2/2)

Pitt kept silence.

”And what in the world does she want at Schwalbach or Schlangenbad?”

Serge went on. ”That does not help matters at all. And if it does, it is usually a rather peculiar sort of help.”

Pitt glanced at him sidewise. ”I think. Serge, that you are growing more and more Russian, or what amounts to the same thing, you are living up to your name more and more.”

”But still not enough. But joking aside, my friend, I am in earnest about one thing: Rienacker makes me angry. What has he against the charming little woman? Do you know?”

”Yes.”

”Well?”

”She is rather a little silly. Or if you prefer it in German, she babbles a bit. At all events too much for him.”

CHAPTER XIX

Between Berlin and Potsdam Katherine was already drawing down the yellow curtains of the car windows to protect herself from the dazzling light which grew stronger and stronger. But on this same day no curtains were drawn in the little home on the Luise Bank and the forenoon sun shone brightly in at Frau Nimptsch's window and filled the whole room with light. Only the background was in shadow and here stood an old-fas.h.i.+oned bed with a high pile of red and white checked pillows, against which Frau Nimptsch was leaning. She was sitting up rather than lying down, because she had water on the lungs and was suffering severely from asthma. She kept turning her head toward the one open window, but still oftener toward the fireplace where no fire was burning to-day.

Lena was sitting by her, holding her hand, and when she saw that her mother kept looking in the same direction, she said: ”Shall I make a fire, mother? I thought that you were lying warm in bed and it is such a hot day ...”

The old woman did not speak, but it seemed to Lena as if she would like it. So she went and knelt down and lit a fire.

When she came back to the bed, the old woman smiled contentedly and said: ”Yes, Lena, it is hot. But you know, I always want to see it. And when I do not see it, I think everything is gone and there is not a spark of life left. And there is so much trouble here....”

And she pointed to her breast and heart.

”Ah, mother, you are always thinking about dying. And yet it has pa.s.sed away so many times already.”

”Yes, child, it has pa.s.sed away often, but it must come sometime and at seventy it may come any day. I wish you would open the other window too, so that there will be more air and the fire will burn better. Just look, it isn't burning well, it smokes so ...”

”The sun does that, it is s.h.i.+ning right on it....”

”And then give me the green drops that Frau Dorr brought me. They always help me a little.”

Lena did as she was asked and when the sick woman had taken the drops, she really seemed to be a little better and easier around her heart.

She propped herself up with her hands and raised herself higher, and when Lena had put another cus.h.i.+on behind her back, she said:

”Has Franke been here lately?”

”Yes, he was here early to-day. He always stops to inquire before he goes to the factory.”

”He is a very good man.”

”Yes, he is that.”

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