t even she can't understand.

January 1, 19--! Of course we did not keep New Year's Eve yesterday, but
were quite alone and it was very melancholy. This morning Dr. P. brought
Dora and Aunt Dora some roses and he gave me some lovely violets as a
New Year's greeting. He is leaving on the 4th, so he is coming here
on the evening of the 3rd. I can't say I look forward to it. To-morrow
school begins thank goodness. I met a dust cart, that means good luck;
Father says it is a scandal the way the dirt carts go on all through the
day in Vienna, and that one should see one even on New Year's day at 2
in the afternoon. But still, if it means _good luck!_

January 2nd. The dust cart did bring good luck. We had a real piece of
_luck_ to-day! In the big interval I noticed a little knot of girls in
the hall, and suddenly I felt as if my heart would stop beating. Frau
Doktor M., I should say Frau Professor Theyer, was standing among them,
she saw us directly and held out her hand to us so we kissed it. She has
come to visit her parents and _her husband_ is with her; since she did
not know for certain whether she would be able to come to the school she
had not written either to me or to Hella about it. She is so lovely and
so entrancingly loveable. When the bell rang for class and Frau Doktor
Dunker came in I saw that _she_ was still standing outside. So I put my
handkerchief up to my face as if my nose were bleeding, and rushed out
to her. And because I slipped and nearly fell, she held out her arms to
me. Hardly had I reached her, when Hella came out and said: "Of course I
understood directly; I said you were awfully bad, so I must go and look
after you." Then the Frau Professor laughed like anything and said: "You
are such wicked little actresses; I must send you back immediately." But
of course she did not but was frightfully sweet. Then we begged her
to let us stay with her, but she said: "No, no, I've been your teacher
here, and I must not encourage you in mischief. But here is a better
idea. Would you like to come and see me to-morrow?" "Rather," we both
exclaimed. She said she was staying in a hotel, but we must not come
alone to a hotel, so she would see us at her parents, in Schwindgasse,
and we were to come there at 4 or half past. Then we kissed both her
hands and were so happy! To-morrow at 4! Oh dear, a whole night more and
nearly a whole day to wait. "If your parents allow you," she said; as
if Father or even Hella's gr