Pride will have a fall."
"Always the governess. You are just a born old maid."
"And yet I still have hopes of finding a husband, perhaps even before
you do."
"For aught I care. Do you think I shall wait for that? The idea!
Furthermore one has already been picked out for me and perhaps I shall
soon have him. Oh, I am not worrying about that. Not long ago little
Ventivegni from over the way said to me: 'Miss Effi, what will you bet
we shall not have a charivari and a wedding here this year yet?'"
"And what did you say to that?"
"Quite possible, I said, quite possible; Hulda is the oldest; she may
be married any day. But he refused to listen to that and said: 'No, I
mean at the home of another young lady who is just as decided a
brunette as Miss Hulda is a blonde.' As he said this he looked at me
quite seriously--But I am wandering and am forgetting the story."
"Yes, you keep dropping it all the while; may be you don't want to
tell it, after all?"
"Oh, I want to, but I have interrupted the story a good many times,
chiefly because it is a little bit strange, indeed, almost romantic."
"Why, you said he was a district councillor."
"Certainly, a district councillor, and his name is Geert von
Innstetten, Baron von Innstetten."
All three laughed.
"Why do you laugh?" said Effi, nettled. "What does this mean?"
"Ah, Effi, we don't mean to offend you, nor the Baron either.
Innstetten did you say? And Geert? Why, there is nobody by that name
about here.
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