piano across one corner of the room. I care more for that than
for the open fireplace that Geert has promised me. And then I am going
to put your portrait on an easel. I can't be entirely without you. Oh,
how I shall be homesick to see you, perhaps even on the wedding tour,
and most certainly in Kessin. Why, they say the place has no garrison,
not even a staff surgeon, and how fortunate it is that it is at least
a watering place. Cousin von Briest, upon whom I shall rely as my
chief support, always goes with his mother and sister to Warnemunde.
Now I really do not see why he should not, for a change, some day
direct our dear relatives toward Kessin. Besides, 'direct' seems to
suggest a position on the staff, to which, I believe, he aspires. And
then, of course, he will come along and live at our house. Moreover
Kessin, as somebody just recently told me, has a rather large steamer,
which runs over to Sweden twice a week. And on the ship there is
dancing (of course they have a band on board), and he dances very
well."

"Who?"

"Why, Dagobert."

"I thought you meant Innstetten. In any case the time has now come to
know what he writes. You still have the letter in your pocket, you
know."

"That's right. I had almost forgotten it." She opened the letter and
glanced over it.

"Well, Effi, not a word? You are not beaming and not even smiling. And
yet he always writes such bright and entertaining letters, and not a
word of fatherly wisdom in them."

"That I should not allow. He has his age and I have my youth. I should
shake my finger at him and say: 'Geert, consider which is better.'"

"And then he would answer: 'You have what is better.' For he is not
only a man of most refined manners, he is at the same time just and
sensible and knows very well what youth means. He is always reminding
himself of that and adapting himself to youthful ways, and if he
remains the same after marriage you will lead a model married life."

"Yes, I think so, too, mama. But just imagine--and I am almost ashamed
to say it--I am not so very much in favor of what is called a model
married life."

"That is just like you. And now tell me, pray, what are you really in
favor of?"

"I am--well, I am in favor of like and like and naturally also of
tenderness and love. And if tenderness and love are out of the
question, because, as papa says, love is after all only fiddle-faddle,
which I, however, do not believe, well, then I am in favor of we