t seems." She could
not forgive those doors she had gone through last.

The princess looked up for a moment over the spectacles she wore when
she worked, at Anna.

"Fraeulein Kuhraeuber makes an excellent foil," said Frau von Treumann.
"Miss Estcourt looks quite ethereal next to her."

"Do you think her pretty?" asked the baroness.

"She is very distinguished-looking."

A servant came in at that moment and announced Dellwig's usual evening
visit, and Anna got up and went out. They watched her as she walked down
the long room, and when she had disappeared began to discuss her more at
their ease, their rapid German being quite incomprehensible to Letty and
Miss Leech.

"Where has she gone?" asked the baroness.

"She has gone to talk to her inspector," said the princess.

"_Ach so_," said the baroness.

"_Ach so_," said Frau von Treumann.

"Is the inspector young?" asked the baroness.

"Oh no, quite old," said the princess.

"These English are a strange race," said Frau von Treumann. "What German
girl of that age would you find with so much energy and enterprise?"

"Is she so very young?" inquired the baroness, with a look of mild
surprise.

"Why, she is plainly little more than a child," said Frau von Treumann.

"She is twenty-five," said the princess.

"Rather an old child," observed the baroness.

"She looks much younger. But twenty-five is surely young enough for this
life, away from her own people," said Frau von Treumann.

"Yes--why does she lead it?" asked the baroness eagerly. "Can you tell
us, Frau Prinzessin? Has she then quarrelled with all her friends?"

"Miss Estcourt has not told me so."

"But she must have quarrelled. Eccentric as the English are, there are
limits to their eccentricity, and no one leaves home and friends and
country without some good reason." And Frau von Treumann shook her head.

"She has quarrelled, I am sure," said the baroness.

"I think so too," said Frau von Treumann; "I thought so from the first.
My son also thought so. You remember Karlchen, princess?"

"Perfectly."

"I discussed the question thoroughly with him, of course, as to whether
I should come here or not. I confess I did not want to come. It was a
great wrench, giving up everything, and going so far from my son. But
after all one must not be selfish." And Frau von Treumann sighed and
paused.

No one said anything, so she continued: "One feels, as one grows older,
how great are the claims of ot