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Updated: May 19, 2025
Suddenly he became aware of the reason why he only thought of Marie Falkenhein with gentle resignation, with that fugitive feeling which seemed to himself scarcely compatible with grief for a real attachment: he had never ceased to love Hannah Gropphusen. Had his eyes been struck with blindness? His passion now revived in him as with the throes of an intermittent fever.
Hannah von Gropphusen, however, was smiling once more; though in sooth on her pallid countenance the smile had something of a ghastly look. "No, no, Frau Kläre," she assured her; "I am better alone." Once more saying, "Forgive me, won't you?" she departed. Güntz meanwhile had not been able to quiet the little screamer, and was glad enough when Kläre took the child from him.
Young, beautiful, rich, fashionable has she not everything to make her happy?" And shaking his head he added, "Poor, poor woman!" He vowed to himself not to make depreciatory remarks about the Gropphusen in the future. One thing, however, he felt he must impress on his wife: "Look here, Kläre," he cautioned her, "you won't let her hold the boy often, will you?"
When first married they were madly in love with each other; but when the fire burnt out, Gropphusen went back to his old habits. Truth to tell, he was a rake, who, even after marriage, thought nothing of spending dissipated nights week after week in the capital, returning by the early morning train.
"The dissipated scoundrel has missed the early train, of course. He might at least have telegraphed." Naturally Gropphusen could not be waited for. Senior-lieutenant Frommelt took charge of the battery, and the regiment set off on its march. But even at their first halting-place the missing man failed to put in an appearance, and now came some enlightenment as to his proceedings.
The police had made a raid upon the club to which Gropphusen belonged. Rumours were spread abroad of unlawful and immoral practices carried on there. A certain number of the members, Gropphusen among them, had managed to escape; the rest were already in custody.
A little further along she looked back, and the white-gloved hand waved again, but they could no longer distinguish her features. Then the rushing wheels disappeared in the darkness. Frau von Gropphusen rode quietly home. The servant was waiting at the door. He took the machine from her, asking if she would take tea. "No," she answered. "I have had it. You can clear the things away."
Hannah von Gropphusen bent closer over her shoe-lace. She wanted to say something in reply just as simple as his own words had been; but she could find nothing except the banal rejoinder: "Please do not flatter me, Herr Reimers!" and her voice rang a little sharply.
Frau von Gropphusen made no effort to detain him. "It is perhaps better for me," she said wearily; and as he reached the door, she added: "But it has given me great pleasure to see you again," and she dismissed him with a friendly nod. Reimers stood for a moment before the front door, thoughtfully buttoning his gloves.
I tell you he should never even have been made a captain. What about Gropphusen?" "Ah! There you are! He has missed his vocation!" "Why is he still where he is then?" Güntz laughed grimly to himself. "What ought he to have been?" "A painter," answered Reimers. The other made a grimace. "Possibly! Well, thirdly, what of my revered chief, Captain Mohr? What do you think of him?"
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