Veronica. But certain phrases: "traurige Nachrichten" ... "furchtbare
Schwaechheit" ... "... eine entsetzliche Blutleere ..." terrified them,
and they sent for Dorothy to translate.

Dorothy was a good German scholar, but somehow she was not very fluent.
She scowled over the letter.

"What does it mean?" said Frances. "Haemorhage?"

"No. No. Anaemia. Severe anaemia. Heart and stomach trouble."

"But 'traurige Nachrichten' is 'bad news.' They're breaking it to us
that she's dying."

(It was unbearable to think of Nicky marrying Ronny; but it was more
unbearable to think of Ronny dying.)

"They don't say they're sending _us_ bad news; they say they think
Ronny must have had some. To account for her illness. Because they say
she's been so happy with them."

"But what bad news could she have had?"

"Perhaps she knows about Nicky."

"But nobody's told her, unless Vera has."

"She hasn't. I know she hasn't. She didn't want her to know."

"Well, then--"

"Mummy, you don't _have_ to tell Ronny things. She always knows them."

"How on earth could she know a thing like that?"

"She might. She sort of sees things--like Ferdie. She may have seen him
with Desmond. You can't tell."

"Do they say what the doctor thinks?"

"Yes. He thinks it's worry and Heimweh--homesickness. They want us to
send for her and take her back. Not let her have another term."

Though Frances loved Veronica she was afraid of her coming back. For she
was more than ever convinced that something would happen and that Nicky
would not marry Desmond.

* * * * *

The other letter was even more difficult to translate or to understand
when translated.

The authorities at Aschaffenburg requested Herr Harrison to remove his
son Michael from the School of Forestry. Michael after his first few
weeks had done no good at the school. In view of the expense to Herr
Harrison involved in his fees and maintenance, they could not honestly
advise his entering upon another term. It would only be a deplorable
throwing away of money on a useless scheme. His son Michael had no
thoroughness, no practical ability, and no grasp whatever of theoretic
detail. From Herr Harrison's point of view this was the more regrettable
inasmuch as the young man had colossal decision and persistence and
energy of his own. He was an indefatigable dreamer. Very likely--when
his dreams had crystallized--a poet. But the idea Herr Harrison had had
th