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No one awaited them at the landing, but a few people stood about near the gallery, looking embarrassed or were they suspicious? The travellers went into Fru Kaas's old rooms, both up stairs and down. These were just as they had left them, but how faded and wretched they looked! The table, which was laid for supper, was loaded with coarse food like that at a farmer's wedding.
They were all very merry there: on Fru Kaas's side because she was uneasy, and wished to conceal the fact by an appearance of liveliness; on the Dean's part because he really was in high spirits at the discovery which promised prosperity both to Hellebergene and the district; on his wife's because she suspected something. The most hearty good wishes were therefore expressed for their journey.
He was most ready to appease her, most ready to show her everything, for he felt himself to blame, though he certainly thought that she might have understood; but her presence would have marred their tete-a-tete; he would have been embarrassed enough if she had acquiesced! The Dean, with his wife and daughter, came the following Sunday to return Fru Kaas's visit.
The hairdresser hesitated to act without Fru Kaas's knowledge, but at length he ceased to make objections. Rafael's heart sank lower and lower, but he must go through with it now. "Off with it," he said, and remained immovable in the chair. "I have never seen more splendid hair," said the hairdresser diffidently, taking up the scissors but still hesitating.
There were a great many people there, but Fru Kaas's turn to go up soon came; but just as she had reached the head of the giantess and was going to look out, she heard a lady whisper close behind her, "That is his mother." It was probable that there were several mothers up there in "Bavaria's" head beside Fru Kaas, nevertheless she gathered her skirts together and hurried down again.
But her parents had grown less cordial of late owing to Fru Kaas's coldness, and the time came when all attempts to obtain meetings with Helene failed. He had never been so infatuated. He seemed to see her continually before him her luxuriant beauty, her light step, her grey eyes gazing steadfastly into his. Why could they not be married to-morrow or the next day? What could be more natural?
The portion of the house between the two wings was a neutral territory namely, a large dining-room with a ballroom above it, neither of which was used in later years. Harald Kaas's suite of rooms was distinguished from without by a mighty elk's head with its enormous antlers, which was set up over the gallery.
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