and Hella was nearly suffocated with laughing. Lajos is enough to
give one fits; it was absolutely ripping the way he imitated the wife of
Major Zoltan in the Academy and Captain Riffl. I can hardly write about
it, for my hand shakes so with laughing when I think of it. And then,
while Hella and Lajos were singing songs together, Jeno told me that
every student in the Neustadt has an inamorata, a _real_ one. Mostly in
Vienna, but some in Wiener Neustadt though that is dangerous because of
being caught. All the officers know about it, but no one must be found
out. Then I told him about Oswald's affair and he said: "Oswald was a
great donkey, you'll excuse me for saying so since he's your brother;
but really he made a fool of himself. He was only a civilian; it's quite
different in the army." Then I got cross and said: "That's all very
well, Jeno, but you are not an officer yourself, so I don't see how you
can know anything about it." Then he said to Hella: "I say, Ilonka,
you must keep your friend in better order, she is rather inclined to
be insubordinate." She is to make a written note of every act of
_insubordination_, and then he will administer _exemplary_ punishment.
All very fine, but it will take two to that.

January 30th. I wish I knew whether Mademoiselle really passed through
W. Street again at 7 o'clock on Monday, for she certainly said very
distinctly: "Au revoir, ma cherie!" She is so pretty and so pale;
perhaps she is really ill, and she must be awfully nervous about
-- -- -- That would be terrible. We wonder whether she knows about
certain means, but one simply can't tell her.

February 2nd. I've had a wonderful idea and Hella thinks it a positive
inspiration. We are going to write anonymously to Mademoiselle about
those means, and Hella will write, so that no one can recognise
my writing. We think something of that sort must have happened to
Mademoiselle, for the other day I heard Mother say to Aunt Dora: "If we
had known that, we should never have engaged her for the children; it
will be a terrible thing for her parents." And Aunt Dora said: "Yes,
those are the sort of people who hide their disgrace under the water."
It seems quite clear, for _disgrace_ means an _illegitimate_ child. And
the worst of it is, that they know that she has done _that_. We must
help the poor thing. And _that_ is why Dora is so indignant all of
a sudden. But how can she know? there is nothing to notice yet in
Mademoiselle; i