The weather
will soon turn stormy enough, anyhow. The middle of November is the
time, you know."
Innstetten was a trifle embarrassed and sat with a puzzled look on his
face, seemingly undecided whether or not he should attempt to allay
all these fears. Finally he made up his mind to ignore them. "You are
quite right, Effi, we can shorten the long curtains upstairs. But
there is no hurry about it, especially as it is not certain whether it
will do any good. It may be something else, in the chimney, or a worm
in the wood, or a polecat. For we have polecats here. But, in any
case, before we undertake any changes you must first examine our whole
house, under my guidance; that goes without saying. We can do it in a
quarter of an hour. Then you make your toilette, dress up just a
little bit, for in reality you are most charming as you are now. You
must get ready for our friend Gieshuebler. It is now past ten, and I
should be very much mistaken in him if he did not put in his
appearance here at eleven, or at twelve at the very latest, in order
most devotedly to lay his homage at your feet. This, by the way, is
the kind of language he indulges in. Otherwise he is, as I have
already said, a capital man, who will become your friend, if I know
him and you aright."
CHAPTER VIII
It was long after eleven, but nothing had been seen of Gieshuebler as
yet. "I can't wait any longer," Geert had said, whose duties called
him away. "If Gieshuebler comes while I am gone, receive him as kindly
as possible and the call will go especially well.
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