such
matters; she simply seemed to look through her Really I'm a little sorry
for her, for she hasn't any close friends beyond ourselves; but Hella
said: "Haven't you had enough of it yet? Do you want to be cooked once
more with the same sauce?" And when Hella's hat fell into the water and
we were still looking after it in fits of laughter, all of a sudden
we found Anneliese standing behind us offering Hella a fine lace shawl
which she had brought with her for the evening because she so readily
gets earache. "Wouldn't you like to use this shawl, so that you
won't have to go back to Vienna without a hat?" "Please don't trouble
yourself, I'm quite used to going about bare-headed." But the _way_ she
said it, like a queen! I _must_ learn it from her. She is really shorter
than I am, but at such moments she looks just like a grownup lady. I
told her as much, and she rejoined: "Darling Rita, you can't _learn_ a
thing like that; it's _inborn_." She rather annoyed me, for she always
seems to think that an officer's daughter is a thing apart.

July 1st. Thank goodness, everything has passed off without a public
scandal. Frau Doktor M. spoke to me in the corridor, saying: "Lainer,
you've had a narrow escape. If certain voices had not been raised on
your behalf, I really don't know -- -- --." Then I said: "I'm quite
certain, Frau Doktor, that you alone have saved me from a Bad Conduct
Mark." And I kissed her hand. "Get along, you little baggage, for
the one part simply a child, and for the other with your head full of
thoughts which grown-ups would do well to dispense with."

After all, one can't help one's _thoughts_, and we shall be more careful
in future as to the persons to whom we talk about _that sort of thing_.
Here's another thing I forgot to mention about the outing: When we got
back into Vienna by rail, most of the parents came to meet us at the
station; Father was there too, and so was the "innocent child's" mother.
Thank goodness Father did not know her. When we got out of the train
there was a great scrimmage, because we were all trying to sort
ourselves to our parents, and suddenly I heard Hella's voice: "No,
Madam, your child is not in our bad company." I turned round sharply,
and there was Hella standing in front of Frau von Zerkwitz who had just
asked her: "Hullo, _you_, what has become of my little Anneliese?" The
answer was splendid; I should never have been able to hit upon it; I
always think of good repartee