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o'clock。 This kiss is for myself； this is for Scruff； and this is
for Miss Naylor。〃
She stood upright again； a tremulous； joyful gravity was in her eyes
and on her lips。
〃Good…bye； my dear； take care of yourselves； and don't you have a
guide； they're humbugs。〃
〃No； Uncle Nic。 There is the carriage！ To Vienna； Uncle Nic！〃 The
dead gold of her hair gleamed in the doorway。 Mr。 Treffry raised
himself upon his elbow。
〃Give us one more； for luck！〃
Greta ran back。
〃I love you very much！〃 she said； and kissing him； backed slowly；
then； turning； flew out like a bird。
Mr。 Treffry fixed his eyes on the shut door。
XXI
After many days of hot； still weather； the wind had come； and whirled
the dust along the parched roads。 The leaves were all astir； like
tiny wings。 Round Villa Rubein the pigeons cooed uneasily； all the
other birds were silent。 Late in the afternoon Christian came out on
the veranda； reading a letter：
〃DEAR CHRIS；We are here now six days； and it is a very large place
with many churches。 In the first place then we have been to a great
many； but the nicest of them is not St。 Stephan's Kirche； it is
another； but I do not remember the name。 Papa is out nearly all the
night； he says he is resting here； so he is not able to come to the
churches with us； but I do not think he rests very much。 The day
before yesterday we； that is； Papa； I； and Miss Naylor； went to an
exhibition of pictures。 It was quite beautiful and interesting （Miss
Naylor says it is not right to say 'quite' beautiful； but I do not
know what other word could mean 'quite' except the word 'quite；'
because it is not exceedingly and not extremely。 And O Chris！ there
was one picture painted by him； it was about a ship without masts
Miss Naylor says it is a barge； but I do not know what a barge ison
fire； and； floating down a river in a fog。 I think it is extremely
beautiful。 Miss Naylor says it is very impressionistickwhat is
that？ and Papa said 'Puh！' but he did not know it was painted by
Herr Harz； so I did not tell him。
〃There has also been staying at our hotel that Count Sarelli who came
one evening to dinner at our house； but he is gone away now。 He sat
all day in the winter garden reading； and at night he went out with
Papa。 Miss Naylor says he is unhappy； but I think he does not take
enough exercise； and O Chris！ one day he said to me； 'That is your
sister； Mademoiselle； that young lady in the white dress？ Does she
always wear white dresses？' and I said to him： 'It is not always a
white dress； in the picture； it is green； because the picture is
called 〃Spring。'〃 But I did not tell him the colours of all your
dresses because he looked so tired。 Then he said to me： 'She is very
charming。' So I tell you this； Chris； because I think you shall like
to know。 Scruff' has a sore toe； it is because he has eaten too much
meat。
〃It is not nice without you； Chris； and Miss Naylor says I am
improving my mind here； but I do not think it shall improve very
much； because at night I like it always best； when the shops are
lighted and the carriages are driving past； then I am wanting to
dance。 The first night Papa said he would take me to the theatre；
but yesterday he said it was not good for me； perhaps to…morrow he
shall think it good for me again。
〃Yesterday we have been in the Prater； and saw many people； and some
that Papa knew； and then came the most interesting part of all；
sitting under the trees in the rain for two hours because we could
not get a carriage （very exciting）。
〃There is one young lady here； only she is not any longer very young；
who knew Papa when he was a boy。 I like her very much； she shall
soon know me quite to the bottom and is very kind。
〃The ill husband of Cousin Teresa who went with us to Meran and lost
her umbrella and Dr。 Edmund was so sorry about it； has been very much
worse； so she is not here but in Baden。 I wrote to her but have no
news； so I do not know whether he is still living or not； at any rate
he can't get well again so soon （and I don't think he ever shall）。 I
think as the weather is very warm you and Uncle Nic are sitting much
out of doors。 I am sending presents to you all in a wooden box and
screwed very firm； so you shall have to use again the big screw…
driver of Fritz。 For Aunt Constance； photographs； for Uncle Nic； a
green bird on a stand with a hole in the back of the bird to put his
ashes in； it is a good green and not expensif please tell him；
because he does not like expensif presents （Miss Naylor says the bird
has an inquiring eyeit is a parrat）； for you； a little brooch of
turquoise because I like them best； for Dr。 Edmund a machine to weigh
medicines in because he said he could not get a good one in Botzen；
this is a very good one； the shopman told me so； and is the most
expensif of all the presentsso that is all my money； except two
gulden。 If Papa shall give me some more； I shall buy for Miss Naylor
a parasol； because it is useful and the handle of hers is 'wobbley'
（that is one of Dr。 Edmund's words and I like it）。
〃Good…bye for this time。 Greta sends you her kiss。
〃PS。Miss Naylor has read all this letter （except about the parasol）
and there are several things she did not want me to put； so I have
copied it without the things； but at the last I have kept that copy
myself； so that is why this is smudgy and several words are not spelt
well； but all the things are here。〃
Christian read； smiling； but to finish it was like dropping a
talisman； and her face clouded。 A sudden draught blew her hair
about； and from within； Mr。 Treffry's cough mingled with the soughing
of the wind； the sky was fast blackening。 She went indoors； took a
pen and began to write：
〃MY FRIEND；Why haven't you written to me？ It is so； long to wait。
Uncle says you are in Italyit is dreadful not to know for certain。
I feel you would have written if you could； and I can't help thinking
of all the things that may have happened。 I am unhappy。 Uncle Nic
is ill； he will not confess it； that is his way； but he is very ill。
Though perhaps you will never see this； I must write down all my
thoughts。 Sometimes I feel that I am brutal to be always thinking
about you； scheming how to be with you again； when he is lying there
so ill。 How good he has always been to me； it is terrible that love
should pull one apart so。 Surely love should be beautiful； and
peaceful； instead of filling me with bitter； wicked thoughts。 I love
youand I love him； I feel as if I were torn in two。 Why should it
be so？ Why should the beginning of one life mean the ending of
another； one love the destruction of another？ I don't understand。
The same spirit makes me love you and him； the same sympathy； the
same trustyet it sometimes seems as if I were a criminal in loving
you。 You know what he thinkshe is too honest not to have shown
y