"
"Every man annoys his wife, and enthusiasm for art is not the worst
thing by a good deal."
"No, certainly not. At all events we will not quarrel about that; it
is a wide field. Then, too, people are so different. Now you, you
know, would have been the right person for that. Generally speaking,
you would have been better suited to Innstetten than Effi. What a
pity! But it is too late now."
"Extremely gallant remark, except for the fact that it is not apropos.
However, in any case, what has been has been. Now he is my son-in-law,
and it can accomplish nothing to be referring back all the while to
the affairs of youth."
"I wished merely to rouse you to an animated humor."
"Very kind of you, but it was not necessary. I am in an animated
humor."
"Likewise a good one?"
"I might almost say so. But you must not spoil it.--Well, what else is
troubling you? I see there is something on your mind."
"Were you pleased with Effi? Were you satisfied with the whole affair?
She was so peculiar, half naive, and then again very self-conscious
and by no means as demure as she ought to be toward such a husband.
That surely must be due solely to the fact that she does not yet fully
know what she has in him. Or is it simply that she does not love him
very much? That would be bad. For with all his virtues he is not the
man to win her love with an easy grace."
Mrs. von Briest kept silent and counted the stitches of her fancy
work. Finally she said: "What you just said, Briest, is the most
sensible thing I have heard from you for the last three days,
including your speech at dinner.
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