s. He could still recall the
Baron's depression and worry the last time he had talked with him--it
was toward the end of March: he had spoken very little at that time and
had gazed into space with remarkably lifeless eyes. He gave the
impression of a man who is on the point of doing something quite out of
the ordinary if not distinctly terrible.

Daniel did not become aware of this until now; the Baron's troubles,
whatever they were, had not occurred to him during the past weeks; he
was sorry for having neglected him so.

XVII

When he came home Eleanore was suffering from premature birth pains.
Philippina greeted him with the words: "There is going to be an
increase in the family, Daniel." Whereat she burst out in a coarse
laugh.

"Shut up, you beast," cried Daniel: "How long has she been suffering?
Why didn't you get the nurse?"

"Can I leave the child here alone? Don't growl so!" replied Philippina
angrily. She went out for the nurse. In a half an hour she came back
with her: it was Frau Hadebusch.

Daniel had a disagreeable feeling. He wanted to raise some questions and
make some objections, but Frau Hadebusch's nimble tongue anticipated
him. She grinned, curtsied, rolled her eyes, and went through the entire
category of acquired mannerisms on the part of a woman of her type, and
then unloaded her life history: Her duly wedded husband had said
farewell to this vale of tears three years ago, and since then she had
been supporting, as well as she could, herself and her poor Henry, the
idiot, by hiring out as a midwife. She seemed already to have come to
an understanding with Eleanore, for when she entered the room, Eleanore
greeted her as though she were an old acquaintance.

While Daniel was alone with Eleanore for a few minutes, he asked her in
an indignant tone: "How did you ever come to get that vicious woman?"

Eleanore replied in a gentle and unsuspecting tone: "She came to me one
day, and asked to be called in when the child was born. She said she was
awfully fond of you, and that you had once lived in her house. Well, I
thought, what difference does it make who comes, so I engaged her, and
there she is."

It was only with the greatest difficulty that she finished saying what
was on her mind. Her face, white as a sheet, was pinched with an
expression of terrific pain. She reached for Daniel's hand, and held it
so tightly that he became rigid with anxiety.

When sh