other.

"Well," said Anna, who felt perfectly at her ease with this member of
her trio, "are you happy?"

Fraeulein Kuhraeuber blushed, and beamed more than ever. She was far less
shy of Anna than she was of those two terrible _adelige Damen_, her
travelling companions; but at no time had she had much conversation.
Hers had been a ruminative existence, for its uncertainty but rarely
disturbed her. Had she not an excellent digestion, and a fixed belief
that the righteous, of whom she was one, would never be forsaken? And
are not these the primary conditions of happiness? Indeed, if everything
else is wanting, these two ingredients by themselves are sufficient for
the concoction of a very palatable life.

"You have found an interesting book already?" Anna asked, pleased that
the literature chosen with such care should have met with instant
appreciation. She took it up to see what it was, but put it down again
hastily, for it was the cookery book.

"I read much," observed Fraeulein Kuhraeuber.

"Yes?" said Anna, a flicker of hope reviving in her heart. Perhaps the
cookery book was an accident.

"I know by heart more than a hundred recipes for sweet dishes alone."

"Really?" said Anna, the flicker expiring.

"So you can have an idea of the number of books I have read."

"Here are a great many more for you to read."

"_Ach ja, ach ja_," said Fraeulein Kuhraeuber, glancing doubtfully at the
shelves; "but one must not waste too much time over it--there are other
things in life. I read only useful books."

"Well, that is very praiseworthy," said Anna, smiling. "If you like
cookery books, I must get you some more."

"How good you are--how very, very good!" said the Fraeulein, gazing at
the charming figure before her with heartfelt admiration and gratitude.
"This beautiful room--I cannot look at it enough. I cannot believe it is
really for me--for me to sleep in and be in whenever I choose. What have
I done to deserve all this?"

What had she done, indeed? She had not even been unhappy, although of
course she had had every opportunity of being so, sent from place to
place, from one indignant _Hausfrau_ to another, ever since she left
school. But Anna, persuaded that she had rescued her from depths of
unspeakable despair, was overjoyed by this speech. "Don't talk about
deserving," she said tenderly. "You have had such a life that if you
were to be happy now without stopping once for the next fifty years it
would on