When the time arrived for this part of the program all
bonds of pious awe were loosed and they proceeded with most daring
experiments, which my pen hesitates to record. On one occasion one of
these unfortunates--unfortunate because poor and dependent--had to
suffer a jaw tooth to be pulled out with the first pair of tongs that
could be found; but it must not be inferred that those who undertook
the operation were necessarily rough men. It was only a case where the
socially arrogant, who made themselves so generally conspicuous in
those days, especially under the stimulation of wine, did not hesitate
to take such liberties. In rich aristocratic houses in the country
they occasionally went to even greater extremes....
How did we live at our house? On the whole, well, far beyond our
station and our means. So far as the culinary department was
concerned, there were, to be sure, occasional strange periods; for
example, in the summer time, when, on account of the superabundant
yield of milk, the star of milk soup reigned supreme. Then everybody
struck, feigning lack of appetite.
But these were only exceptional conditions, of short duration.
Ordinarily we were well and very sensibly fed, a thing which we owed
less to our mother than to our housekeeper, a Miss Schroeder. Before
going any further I must tell about her. When we reached Swinemuende my
mother was still in Berlin taking treatment for her nerves, so that my
father was immediately confronted with the question, who should manage
the household in the interim.
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