The first invitation came for the 14th. As there was snow on the
ground Innstetten planned to take a sleigh for the two hours' drive to
the station, from which he had another hour's ride by train. "Don't
wait for me, Effi. I can't be back before midnight; it will probably
be two o'clock or even later. But I'll not disturb you. Good-by, I'll
see you in the morning." With that he climbed into the sleigh and away
the Isabella-colored span flew through the city and across the country
toward the station.
That was the first long separation, for almost twelve hours. Poor
Effi! How was she to pass the evening? To go to bed early would be
inadvisable, for she would wake up and not be able to go to sleep
again, and would listen for every sound. No, it would be best to wait
till she was very tired and then enjoy a sound sleep. She wrote a
letter to her mother and then went to see Mrs. Kruse, whose condition
aroused her sympathy. This poor woman had the habit of sitting till
late at night with the black chicken in her lap. The friendliness the
visit was meant to show was by no means returned by Mrs. Kruse, who
sat in her overheated room quietly brooding away the time. So when
Effi perceived that her coming was felt as a disturbance rather than a
pleasure she went away, staying merely long enough to ask whether
there was anything the invalid would like to have. But all offers of
assistance were declined.
Meanwhile it had become evening and the lamp was already burning.
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