f there had been I should certainly have seen it, for
Hella often says I've a keen eye for it. That is quite true, I was the
first person to notice it in the maid at Prof. Hofer's, when even Father
had not noticed it.

February 4th. Well, we have written to her, at least Hella has, saying
there are _such_ means, and that she will find all the details in the
encyclopedia. We have addressed it to F. M. and signed it "Someone
who understands you." Unfortunately we shall never be able to find out
whether she got the letter, but the main thing is that she _should_.

February 7th. What a frightful lot of anxiety a letter can give one! In
the interval to-day the school servant came up to me and said: Please
are you Fraulein Lainer of the Third. "There is a letter for you." I
blushed furiously, for I thought, it must be from Mademoiselle, but my
blushing made Frau Berger think it must be from a young man: "Really I
ought to give it to the head mistress; I am not allowed to deliver any
letters to the pupils, but in your case I will make an exception. But
please remember if it happens again I shall have to hand it in to the
office." Then I said: "Frau Berger, I am quite certain it is not from
a gentleman, but from a young lady," and when she gave it to me I saw
directly that it really was not from a gentleman but only from Ada!
It really is too stupid of her! At the New Year she reproached me for
having broken my word, and now she begs me to enquire at the Raimund
Theatre or at the People's Theatre whether Herr G. is there; she says
she can't live without him in St. P. But in the holidays she told me
that she was not in love with him, that for her he was only _a means to
an end_. I'm absolutely certain she said that. Nothing will induce me
to go to enquire at a theatre _office_, and Hella says too that to make
_such_ a suggestion is a piece of impudence. I shall just write her an
ordinary letter, telling her what a row she might have got me into at
school. I really think Ada has a bee in her bonnet, as Father always
says.

February 10th. I never heard of such a thing! I was sent for to the
office to-day because the school servant had complained that on two
occasions I had thrown down some orange peel at the entrance. It's quite
true that I did drop one piece there yesterday, but I pushed it out of
the way with my foot into the corner, and as for any other time I know
nothing about it. But I see which way the wind is blowing. Fr