Besides, he
is a man of character, position, and good breeding, and if you do not
say 'no,' which I could hardly expect of my shrewd Effi, you will be
standing at the age of twenty where others stand at forty. You will
surpass your mama by far."
Effi remained silent, seeking a suitable answer. Before she could find
one she heard her father's voice in the adjoining room. The next
moment Councillor von Briest, a well preserved man in the fifties, and
of pronounced _bonhomie_, entered the drawing-room, and with him Baron
Innstetten, a man of slender figure, dark complexion, and military
bearing.
When Effi caught sight of him she fell into a nervous tremble, but
only for an instant, as almost at the very moment when he was
approaching her with a friendly bow there appeared at one of the wide
open vine-covered windows the sandy heads of the Jahnke twins, and
Hertha, the more hoidenish, called into the room: "Come, Effi." Then
she ducked from sight and the two sprang from the back of the bench,
upon which they had been standing, down into the garden and nothing
more was heard from them except their giggling and laughing.
CHAPTER III
Later in the day Baron Innstetten was betrothed to Effi von Briest. At
the dinner which followed, her jovial father found it no easy matter
to adjust himself to the solemn role that had fallen to him. He
proposed a toast to the health of the young couple, which was not
without its touching effect upon Mrs.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297