slightly protruding dim eyes, which, nevertheless, seemed
always to be seeking something, for which reason the Hussar Klitzing
once said: "Doesn't she look as though she were every moment
expecting the angel Gabriel?" Effi felt that the rather captious
Klitzing was only too right in his criticism, yet she avoided making
any distinction between the three girl friends. Nothing could have
been farther from her mind at this moment. Resting her arms on the
table, she exclaimed: "Oh, this tedious embroidery! Thank heaven, you
are here."

"But we have driven your mama away," said Hulda.

"Oh no. She would have gone anyhow. She is expecting a visitor, an old
friend of her girlhood days. I must tell you a story about him later,
a love story with a real hero and a real heroine, and ending with
resignation. It will make you open your eyes wide with amazement.
Moreover, I saw mama's old friend over in Schwantikow. He is a
district councillor, a fine figure, and very manly."

"Manly? That's a most important consideration," said Hertha.

"Certainly, it's the chief consideration. 'Women womanly, men manly,'
is, you know, one of papa's favorite maxims. And now help me put the
table in order, or there will be another scolding."

It took but a moment to put the things in the basket and, when the
girls sat down again, Hulda said: "Now, Effi, now we are ready, now
for the love story with resignation. Or isn't it so bad?"

"A story with resignation is never bad. But I can't begin till Hertha
has taken some gooseberries; she keeps her eyes glued on them. Please
take as many as you like, we can pick some more afterward. But be sure
to throw the hulls far enough away, or, better still, lay them here on
this newspaper supplement, then we can wrap them up in a bundle and
dispose of everything at once. Mama can't bear to see hulls lying
about everywhere. She always says that some one might slip on them and
break a leg."

"I don't believe it," said Hertha, applying herself closely to the
berries.

"Nor I either," replied Effi, confirming the opinion. "Just think of
it, I fall at least two or three times every day and have never broken
any bones yet. The right kind of leg doesn't break so easily;
certainly mine doesn't, neither does yours, Hertha. What do you think,
Hulda?"

"One ought not to tempt fate. Pride will have a fall."

"Always the governess. You are just a born old maid."

"And yet I still have hopes of finding a husband,