The room is inclined to be musty
and damp, and for that reason the windows are always left open, except
when there is a storm. And so, as there is nearly always a strong
draft upstairs, the wind sweeps the old white curtains, which I think
are much too long, back and forth over the floor. That makes a sound
like silk dresses, or even satin slippers, as your Ladyship just
said."
"That is it, of course. But what I cannot understand is why the
curtains are not taken down. Or they might be made shorter. It is such
a queer noise that it gets on one's nerves. And now, Johanna, give me
the little cape and put just a little dab of powder on my forehead.
Or, better still, take the 'refresher' from my traveling bag--Ah, that
is fine and refreshes me. Now I am ready to go over. He is still
there, isn't he, or has he been out?"
"His Lordship went out earlier; I believe he was over at the office.
But he has been back for a quarter of an hour. I will tell Frederick
to bring the breakfast."
With that Johanna left the room. Effi took one more look into the
mirror and then walked across the hall, which in the daylight lost
much of its charm of the evening before, and stepped into Geert's
room.
He was sitting at his secretary, a rather clumsy cylindrical desk,
which, however, he did not care to part with, as it was an heirloom.
Effi was standing behind him, and had embraced and kissed him before
he could rise from his chair.
"So early?"
"So early, you say.
Pages:
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346