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Robert Allitsen had ordered a bottle of Sassella, and he was just pouring it out when Catharina brought in the forellen. "Why, Catharina," he said, "you don't mean you've cooked them? Then they will be good!" She smiled, and seemed pleased, and then went out of the room. Then he told Bernardine her history, and spoke with such kindness and sympathy that Bernardine was again amazed at him.
And that was the end of the matter, for the word spread about that Herr Allitsen had arrived, and every one turned out to give the two guests greeting. Frau Steinhart smothered Bernardine with motherly tenderness, and whispered in her ear: "You are betrothed now, liebes Fräulein? Ach, I am sure of it."
"You are not alone, I suppose?" continued Mrs. Reffold. "Yes, quite alone," answered Bernardine. "But you are evidently acquainted with Mr. Allitsen, your neighbour at table," said Mrs. Reffold; "so you will not feel quite lonely here. It is a great advantage to have a friend at a place like this." "I never saw him before last night," said Bernardine. "Is it possible?" said Mrs.
"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.
After some time they met a procession of sledges laden with timber; and August, the driver, and Robert Allitsen exchanged some fun and merriment with the drivers in their quaint blue smocks. The noise of the conversation, and the excitement of getting past the sledges, brought Bernardine back to speech again. "I have never before enjoyed anything so much," she said.
Whilst the Disagreeable Man was paying the reckoning, Frau Steinhart said in her most motherly tones: "Fräulein 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.
He might be seen any fine day trudging along in company with his photographic apparatus, and a desolate dog, who looked almost as cheerless as his chosen comrade. Neither the one took any notice of the other; Allitsen was no more genial to the dog than he was to the Kurhaus guests; the dog was no more demonstrative to Robert Allitsen than he was to any one in Petershof.
All this time the young woman sat knitting, but not looking up. She had been beautiful, but her face was worn now, and her eyes had that vacant stare which betokened the vacant mind. The mother whispered to Robert Allitsen: "She notices no one now; she sits there always waiting." Tears came into the kind old eyes. Robert Allitsen went and bent down to the young woman, and held out his hand.
She had a very gracious manner when she chose. "You are looking much better, Miss Holme," she said kindly. "I cannot help noticing your face. It looks younger and brighter. The bracing air has done you good." "Yes, I am better," Bernardine said, rather astonished that Mrs. Reffold should have noticed her at all. "Mr. Allitsen informs me that I shall live, but never be strong.
The moralists tell us that suffering ennobles, and that a right acceptation of hindrances goes towards forming a beautiful character. But this result must largely depend on the original character: certainly, in the case of Robert Allitsen, suffering had not ennobled his mind, nor disappointment sweetened his disposition.
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