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Updated: May 19, 2025
Frau von Gropphusen's parties were much more amusing. You could not be quite sure that she was not making fun of you; but you were certain to carry away on each occasion a supply of gossip which would last for weeks. Externally, Gropphusen and his wife were exceedingly well matched.
Gropphusen was supple and agile, and, with his pale, handsome, rather worn face, looked a perfect Montmartre type. Landsberg, on the contrary, cut a grotesque figure, kicking up his long shoes in the air, and as he did so almost choking in his unduly high collar. The company became smaller and smaller, and at last only two groups were left.
There may have been a murder in her history; but it was done by Gropphusen, and on her soul. Joke about something else, Fatty." The happy young wife entertained the warmest sympathy for the other unhappy one, who always had the look of being pursued by some terrible evil.
The couch almost filled it, the only other furniture being a dainty little writing-table in the window and a couple of chairs. Above the couch hung the only picture, a fine print of Gainsborough's Blue Boy. In the meanwhile, Frau von Gropphusen had recovered herself. Her pretty pale face was lighted up by a somewhat melancholy smile, and she began softly: "No, really, I couldn't let you go!"
"What do you want?" demanded Reimers. "Beg pardon, sir," stammered the fellow, "I thought you were ready." He held in his hand his master's cap and sabre. "All right, give them to me!" The lieutenant quickly completed his toilet, and hurried away to Waisenhaus Strasse. His passion for Frau von Gropphusen increased day by day. He took no pains to combat it.
He thought he had never seen anything so exquisite. But Hannah Gropphusen would scold him when he stood gazing thus in naïve admiration. "Herr Reimers," she would cry, "how inattentive you are. You must really look after the balls better!"
Next to him, Mohr was staring straight before him with glassy eyes, and Schrader leant back in his chair laughing, while Gropphusen still kept on talking to him. "He's got something to laugh about!" said Fröben to his neighbour, interrupting his discourse. "How do you mean?" asked Reimers.
Madelung left almost immediately after Falkenhein, and the majority of the married men followed his example. At last only lieutenants remained, except Major Schrader and Captain von Gropphusen. The one other senior officer, Captain Mohr, did not count.
Hannah Gropphusen did not discontinue her visits to Frau Güntz. She came neither more rarely nor more frequently. She seemed to have regained self-control. Frau Kläre's birthday was celebrated in the arbour of the Falkenheins' garden, by the second Maibowle of the season.
Frau von Gropphusen rested her foot on a garden chair and refastened the strap of her shoe. Reimers stood watching, with his racquet in his hand. The stooping posture, though unusual, was so graceful, that he said simply and with conviction, but without the least passion or sentimentality in his voice: "Dear lady, how wonderfully beautiful you are!"
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