" Furthermore this
old-fashioned frame-house was only Innstetten's private residence,
not the real district councillor's office. The latter stood diagonally
across the street.
It was not necessary for Kruse to announce their arrival with three
cracks of his whip. The servants had long been watching at the doors
and windows for their master and mistress, and even before the
carriage stopped all the inmates of the house were grouped upon the
stone doorstep, which took up the whole width of the sidewalk. In
front of them was Rollo, who, the moment the carriage stopped, began
to circle around it. Innstetten first of all helped his young wife to
alight. Then, offering her his arm, he walked with a friendly bow past
the servants, who promptly turned and followed him into the
entrance-hall, which was furnished with splendid old wardrobes and
cases standing around the walls. The housemaid, a pretty girl, no
longer very young, whose stately plumpness was almost as becoming to
her as the neat little cap on her blonde head, helped her mistress
take off her muff and cloak, and was just stooping down to take off
her fur-lined rubber shoes. But before she had time to make a
beginning, Innstetten said: "I suppose the best thing will be for me
to introduce to you right here all the occupants of our house, with
the exception of Mrs. Kruse, who does not like to be seen, and who, I
presume, is holding her inevitable black chicken again." Everybody
smiled. "But never mind Mrs.
Pages:
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339