talked, as Zollern
said, 'like a book,' had the faculty of talking and observing at the same
time. People think that the talkers of the world are so occupied with
their own prattle that their eyes remain idle; whereas some of the most
practised observers, especially those of the feminine sex, have learned
that it is possible to extract more information from others by appearing
to impart much, and that a flow of speech masks the observation to a
great extent. The garrulous lady saw the brother's pompous attitude; she
had caught the tones of his unmodulated voice before she entered, and she
noticed immediately the shadow on the girl's face and guessed what the
new arrival felt.

Wilhelmine responded readily to Madame de Ruth. Soon the girl felt as
though she had known her for years. After a few minutes' conversation the
two ladies left the formal living-room, and passed up a broad wooden
stair to a room on the first floor, where Wilhelmine found her few
belongings already set down. It was a pretty room for those days, though
we should now consider it but insufficiently furnished. Bare,
brown-stained boards, a narrow wooden bedstead, a couple of carved wooden
chairs, a large carved cupboard, and a table, on which stood a tiny
washing-basin and ewer of beautiful porcelain, completed the
appointments. The hostess rattled on cheerfully while Wilhelmine divested
herself of the cloak and hood. She realised that Madame de Ruth intended
to remain, curious to see the contents of the travelling-basket; but this
was precisely what the guest did not desire, for she had no wish to
expose the scantiness of her wardrobe to her new friend. She sat down on
one of the wooden chairs opposite her hostess, and listened to the
voluble talk. Both women knew exactly what the other wanted, and both
were equally determined not to be beaten; also both knew that the other
knew what they each wanted. It was one of those small feminine conflicts
which take place every day. The older woman's tongue ran on, while her
sharp eyes noted every shade and change in her guest's face. Wilhelmine
answered the many questions frankly enough, but Madame de Ruth observed
with satisfaction that she told only such things as all the world might
hear. There were no outbursts of girlish confidences, no indiscreet
questions; she was mistress of the situation, and if she showed any
shyness, it was never either awkward or foolish, but seemed merely a
delightful youthful at