She doubted whether Frau Manske had any real
sympathy with her plan. Her inquisitiveness was unquestionable; but Anna
felt that opening her heart to the parson and opening it to his wife
were two different things. Though he was wordy, he was certainly
enthusiastic; his wife, on the other hand, appeared to be chiefly
interested in the question of cost. "The cost will be colossal," she
said, surveying Anna from head to foot. "But the gracious Miss is rich,"
she added.

Anna began to examine her finger tips again.

On the way home through the dark fields, after having criticised each
dish of the dinner and expressed the opinion that the entertainment was
not worthy of such a wealthy lady, Frau Manske observed to her husband
that it was true, then, what she had always heard of the English, that
they were peculiarly liable to prolonged attacks of craziness.

"Craziness! Thou callest this craziness? It is my wife, the wife of a
pastor, that I hear applying such a word to so beautiful, so Christian,
a scheme?"

"But the good money--to give it all away. Yes, it is very Christian, but
it is also crazy."

"Woman, shut thy mouth!" cried the parson, beside himself with
indignation at hearing such sentiments from such lips.

Clearly Frau Manske was not at that moment engaged with her roses.

CHAPTER IX

The next morning early, Anna went over to the farm to ask Dellwig to
lend her any newspapers he might have. She was anxious to advertise as
soon as possible for a companion, and now that she knew of the existence
of sister Helena, thought it better to write this advertisement without
the parson's aid, copying any other one of the sort that she might see
in the papers. Until she had secured the services of a German lady who
would tell her how to set about the reforms she intended making in her
house, she was perfectly helpless. She wanted to put her home in order
quickly, so that the twelve unhappy ones should not be kept waiting; and
there were many things to be done. Servants, furniture, everything, was
necessary, and she did not know where such things were to be had. She
did not even know where washerwomen were obtainable, and Frau Dellwig
never seemed to be at home when she sent for her, or went to her seeking
information. On Good Friday, after Susie's departure, she had sent a
message to the farm desiring the attendance of the inspector's wife,
whom she wished to consult about the dinner to be prepared for the