And there was no one who loved Germany more ardently than
he, even though he did say severe things about it."
"That is a thing about which you can have no opinion, Hildegard,"
said Pfeifer, with paternal decision; and he blew a dense cloud of
smoke toward the ceiling.
Miss Hildegard looked rebellious for an instant, but accepted the
verdict of superior wisdom with submissive silence. The old man gave
me a little confidential wink as if to say:
"There is a model girl for you. She knows that women should not speak
in meeting."
"What a delightfully fresh and unspoiled girl," I reflected, as I
wended my way homeward through the still moonlight; "so true-hearted,
and genuine, and unaffected. And still beneath all that sweet, womanly
tranquillity there are strong slumbering forces, which some day will
startle some phlegmatic countryman of hers, who takes her to be as
submissive as she looks."
VI.
Some fifteen minutes after the appointed hour I called with a carriage
for Fraulein Hildegard, whom, to my wonder, I found standing in all
the glory of her ball-toilet (for she was evidently afraid to sit
down) in the middle of the sombre drawing-room. I had been prepared to
wait for a good half-hour, and accordingly felt a little provoked at
myself for my seeming negligence.
Pages:
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165