d student, whom I
have been noticing for the last three days. "Thank you very much, it's
awfully kind of you," said I, and wanted to pass on, for I really had to
go. But he began speaking again, and said: "I suppose that's only a
joke about your being 14. Surely you are 16 to-day?" "I am both glad and
sorry to say that I am not, said I, but after all everyone is as old
as he seems. Please excuse me, I really must go to my room," said I
hurriedly, and bolted, for otherwise -- -- -- --!! I hope he did not
suspect the truth. I must write about it to Hella, it will make
her laugh. She sent me a lovely little jewel box with a view of
Berchtesgaden packed with my favourite sweets, filled with brandy. In
her letter she complains of the "shortness of my last letter." I must
write her a long letter to-morrow. At supper I noticed for the first
time where "Balder" sits; that's what I call him because of his lovely
golden hair, and because I don't know his real name. He is with an old
gentleman and an old lady and a younger lady whose hair is like his, but
she can't possibly be his sister for she is much too old.

July 31st. The family is called Scharrer von Arneck, and the father is
a retired member of the Board of Mines. The young lady is really his
sister, and she is a teacher at the middle school in Brunn. I found all
this out from the housemaid. But I went about it in a very cunning way,
I did not want to ask straight out, and so I said: Can you tell me
who that white-haired old gentleman is, he is so awfully like my
Grandfather. (I have never see my Grandfather, for Father's Father has
been dead 12 or 15 years, and Mother's Father does not live in Vienna
but in Berlin.) Then Luise answered: "Ah, Fraulein, I expect you mean
Herr Oberbergrat Sch., von Sch. But I expect Fraulein's Grandfather is
not quite so grumpy." I said: "Is he so frightfully grumpy then?" And
she answered: "I should think so; we must all jump at the word go or
it's all up with us!" And then one word led to another, and she told
me all she knew; the daughter is 32 already, her name is Hulda and her
father won't let her marry, and the _young gentleman_ has left home
because his father pestered him so. He is a student in Prague, and only
comes home for the holidays. It all sounds very melancholy, and yet they
look perfectly happy except the daughter. By the way, it's horrid for
the Weiners; Olga is 13 and Nelly actually 15, and their mother is once
more -- --