her hand.
"Fraeulein is not strong," she said tenderly. "If Fraeulein lived here,
I should take care of her."
That was a remnant of Catharina's past. She had always loved everything
that was ailing and weakly.
Her hand rested on Bernardine's hand. Bernardine pressed it in kindly
sympathy, thinking the while of the girl's past happiness and resent
bereavement.
"Liza is betrothed," she said, as though to herself. "They don't tell
me; but I know. I was betrothed once."
She went on knitting. And that was all she said of herself.
Then after a pause she said:
"Fraeulein is betrothed?"
Bernardine smiled, and shook her head, and Catharina made no further
inquiries. But she looked up from her work from time to time, and seemed
pleased that Bernardine still stayed with her. At last the old mother
came to say that the coffee was ready, and Bernardine followed her into
the parlour.
She watched Bernardine drinking the coffee, and finally poured herself
out a cup too.
"This is the first time Herr Allitsen has ever brought a friend," she
said. "He has always been alone. Fraeulein is betrothed to Herr Allitsen--
is that so? Ah, I am glad. He is so good and, so kind."
Bernardine stopped drinking her coffee.
"No, I am not betrothed," she said cheerily. "We are just friends; and
not always that either. We quarrel."
"All lovers do that," persisted Frau Steinhart triumphantly.
"Well, you ask him yourself," said Bernardine, much amused. She had
never looked upon Robert Allitsen in that light before. "See, there
he comes!"
Bernardine was not present at the court martial, but this was what
occurred. Whilst the Disagreeable Man was paying the reckoning, Frau
Steinhart said in her most motherly tones:
"Fraeulein is a very dear young lady: Herr Allitsen has made a wise
choice. He is betrothed at last!"
The Disagreeable Man stopped counting out the money.
"Stupid old Frau Steinhart!" he said good-naturedly. "People like myself
don't get betrothed. We get buried instead!"
"Na, na!" she answered. "What a thing to say--and so unlike you too!
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