Part 43 (1/2)
”She will be sunstruck,” observed Frau von Treumann.
”I think she will,” agreed the baroness.
Neither of them moved.
Anna stooped down, and tried to look into the room, but could see nothing. She knocked again; waited a moment; and then went away.
The two ladies embroidered in silence.
”Absurd old maid,” Frau von Treumann thought, glancing at the baroness.
”As though a married woman of my age and standing could get up and open windows when she is in the room.”
”Ridiculous old Treumann,” thought the baroness, outwardly engrossed by her work. ”What does she think, I wonder? I shall teach her that I am as good as herself, and am not here to open windows any more than she is.”
”Why, you _are_ here,” said Anna, surprised, coming in at the door.
”Where have you been all the morning?” inquired Frau von Treumann amiably. ”We hardly ever see you, dear Anna. I hope you have come now to sit with us a little while. Come, sit next to me, and let us have a nice chat.”
She made room for her on the sofa.
”Where is Emilie?” Anna asked; Emilie was Fraulein Kuhrauber, and Anna was the only person in the house who called her so.
”She came in some time ago, but went away at once. She does not, I fear, feel at ease with us.”
”That is exactly what I want to talk about,” said Anna.
”Is it? Why, how strange. Last night, while we were waiting for you, the baroness and I had a serious conversation about Fraulein Kuhrauber, and we decided to tell you what conclusions we came to on the first opportunity.”
”Certainly,” said the baroness.
”It is surprising that Princess Ludwig should not have opened your eyes.”
”It is truly surprising,” said the baroness.
”But they are open. And they have seen that you are not very--not quite--well, not _very_ kind to poor Emilie. Don't you like her?”
”My dear Anna, we have found it quite impossible to like Fraulein Kuhrauber.”
”Or even endure her,” amended the baroness.
”And yet I never saw a kinder, more absolutely amiable creature,” said Anna.
”You are deceived in her,” said Frau von Treumann.
”We have found out that she is here under false pretences,” said the baroness.
”Which,” said Frau von Treumann, unable to forbear glancing at the baroness, ”is a very dreadful thing.”
”Certainly,” agreed the baroness.