is nerves were still so
unstrung that he could not quiet them alone. He felt he must unburden
himself to some one, so he hastened toward Dr. Schrotter's. The doctor,
however, had not yet returned from his hospital. Wilhelm soon found the
inmates of his friend's household, an old Indian man-servant and a
housekeeper, also an Indian of about thirty-five, with a yellow face
already wrinkled and withered, large dark eyes, and a gold-piece
hanging from her nostrils. The old man maintained a respectful attitude
toward her, which pointed to a great difference of caste between them.
The woman showed by her small hands and feet, and the nobility of her
expression, the modest and yet dignified character of a lady, rather
than of a person in a subordinate position. Both wore Indian dress, and
attracted great attention when they showed themselves in the street.
They hardly ever went out, however, and were always busily employed in
service for Dr. Schrotter, to whom they were very devoted.

The old man, who spoke a little English, opened the door to him, and
told him that Schrotter Sahib would soon be in. The woman also
appeared, and beckoned to him to go and wait in the drawing-room,
opening the door as she did so. As he went in she crossed her arms on
her breast, bowed her head with its golden-colored silk turban, and
vanished noiselessly. She only spoke Hindustani, and always greeted
Wilhelm in this expressive manner.

The drawing-room, in which Wilhelm walked restlessly up and down, was
full of Indian things; oriental carpets on the floor, low divans along
the walls covered with gold embroidery and heaped with cushions,
rocking-chairs in the corners, punkahs hanging from the ceilings--no
heavy European furniture anywhere, but here and there a little toy-like
table or stool made of sandalwood or ebony, inlaid with silver or
mother-o'-pearl. Everything smelled strangely of sandalwood and camphor
and unknown spices, everything seemed to spring and shake under a heavy
European foot, everything had such an unaccustomed look, that one felt
as if one were in a foreign land, where Western prejudices and
standpoints were unknown and inadmissible. These surroundings spoke to
Wilhelm dumbly yet intelligibly, and he felt their persuasive power
almost immediately. He had recovered his equanimity when, a quarter of
an hour later, Schrotter came in.

"What a pleasant surprise!" he cried from the doorway. "Will you stay
to lunch with me?"