Part 32 (1/2)

He fell into silent meditation. What it was that had occupied his thoughts, he showed in the first words that fell from him. After a pause, during which Anna Maria had been busy at her work, in nervous silence;

”At least, be kind to her to-morrow when she comes to see us.”

”I have always known what my duty is,” replied the baroness, looking up from her work and raising her eyebrows. ”I shall know it in this case also.”

The baron apparently did not feel quite rea.s.sured by her words; but before he could find words to express his apprehension, the servant opened the door and announced, ”Baron and Baroness Barnewitz.”

The two entered the room.

Baron Barnewitz and his wife had only come to town the day before.

Baron Barnewitz was a great hunter before the Lord, and did not like to leave his dogs and his horses. He had not come much into the parlor since the hunting season had opened, and he still bore the traces of his last fox-hunt. His shoulders and his red beard looked still broader, and his voice was louder and hoa.r.s.er than usual. Hortense Barnewitz, on the contrary, was a shade paler and lighter than in the summer, and looked a great deal more wearied and fatigued. Her lips were thinner, and her blue eyes had become sharper. She evidently began to find life, all in all, unprofitable, especially since last night.

She had been sadly neglected at the ball for the sake of younger and more attractive ladies.

”Oh, at last we have the pleasure!” said Anna Maria, rising to meet her guests, with the stereotyped gracious smile which she always held ready for such occasions.

”Entirely our own pleasure, madame,” cried the fox-hunter, kissing the thin hand of the baroness; ”entirely our own. By G.o.d, could not come sooner. Arrived yesterday at noon; last night at Grieben's. Pity you were not there; famous, I tell you; had almost as much fun as at the last hunt. My wife was tired; had no encouragement. People are always tired when no encouragement. Ha, ha, ha!”

”You must pardon Karl's way of talking,” said Hortense, taking a seat by the baroness on the sofa; ”he has lived the last six weeks almost exclusively with grooms and huntsmen.”

”And with you, my darling! ha, ha, ha!” laughed the gallant husband.

”Well, Hortense needn't take it amiss. Husbands, wife, can afford a joke, eh?”

”How do things look at home?” asked Anna Maria, trying to give a more interesting turn to the conversation.

”Oh, so so!” said Baron Barnewitz. ”The winter wheat is generally doing very well; here and there the mice have done some harm. The summer was too hot. I think the rain will do us some good now. _Apropos_ of rain, Grenwitz! we must settle that question about the ditches, else we shall all of us be drowned one of these days. I talked about it to Oldenburg, a few days ago. He belongs to our district, with his estate at Cona. He thought, too, the thing would have to be done this fall.”

”Why, does the baron nowadays take an interest in farming? That is something entirely new,” said Anna Maria.

”Entirely new, madame,” affirmed Baron Barnewitz; ”the very last news, ha, ha, ha! since his return from his travels; that is to say, about a fortnight. I think he will be crazy next.”

”Or marry your cousin Melitta,” said the baroness, smiling.

”Perhaps that would be the same thing,” suggested Hortense.

”But, dear Hortense, you ought not to be so satirical,” said the baroness, threatening the satirical blonde with her uplifted finger jestingly.

”Are jealous; you are jealous!” cried Baron Barnewitz. ”You have always envied her her beaux, because she has one for every finger.”

”It is a great art to be attended by gentlemen, if one leaves no means of coquetry unused,” said Hortense, dropping her cloak far enough to show her white shoulders.

”Well, it is not quite as bad as that,” replied her husband.

Hortense shrugged her white shoulders.

”Bad is a relative idea. Melitta has given so much ground for gossip in her life that people are not so very strict with her.”

”But that might be the case with Baron Oldenburg too,” said Anna Maria.

”Possibly,” said Hortense. ”I do not know Baron Oldenburg well enough----”