Of course, to mock me."
Innstetten shook his head. "How can I?" Effi took pleasure in accusing
herself, however, and refused to listen to the assurances of her
husband that his "so early" had been meant in all seriousness. "You
must know from our journey that I have never kept you waiting in the
morning. In the course of the day--well, that is a different matter.
It is true, I am not very punctual, but I am not a late sleeper. In
that respect my parents have given me good training, I think."
"In that respect? In everything, my sweet Effi."
"You say that just because we are still on our honeymoon,--why no, we
are past that already. For heaven's sake, Geert, I hadn't given it a
single thought, and--why, we have been married for over six weeks, six
weeks and a day. Yes, that alters the case. So I shall not take it as
flattery, I shall take it as the truth."
At this moment Frederick came in and brought the coffee. The breakfast
table stood across the corner of the sitting room in front of a sofa
made just in the right shape and size to fill that corner. They both
sat down upon the sofa.
"The coffee is simply delicious," said Effi, as she looked at the
room and its furnishings. "This is as good as hotel coffee or that we
had at Bottegone's--you remember, don't you, in Florence, with the
view of the cathedral? I must write mama about it. We don't have such
coffee in Hohen-Cremmen. On the whole, Geert, I am just beginning to
realize what a distinguished husband I married.
Pages:
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347