ed when he discovered that I had never heard these words.
But finally he said it was really very well and in my favor that I
knew nothing about them. He is very just, I must say. And above all he
is angelic to me and not a bit overbearing and not at all old, either.
I still have pains in my feet, and the consulting of guide books and
standing so long before pictures wears me out. But it can't be helped,
you know. I am looking forward to Venice with much pleasure. We shall
stay there five days, perhaps even a whole week. Geert has already
begun to rave about the pigeons in St. Mark's Square, and the fact
that one can buy there little bags of peas and feed them to the pretty
birds. There are said to be paintings representing this scene, with
beautiful blonde maidens, 'a type like Hulda,' as he said. And that
reminds me of the Jahnke girls. I would give a good deal if I could be
sitting with them on a wagon tongue in our yard and feeding _our_
pigeons. Now, you must not kill the fan tail pigeon with the big
breast; I want to see it again. Oh, it is so beautiful here. This is
even said to be the most beautiful of all. Your happy, but somewhat
weary Effi."

When Mrs. von Briest had finished reading the letter she said: "The
poor child. She is homesick."

"Yes," said von Briest, "she is homesick. This accursed traveling--"

"Why do you say that now! You might have hindered it, you know. But it
is just your way to play the wise man after a thing is all over. After
a child has fallen into the well the aldermen cover up the well."

"Ah, Luise, don't bother me with that kind of stuff. Effi is our
child, but since the 3d of October she has been the Baroness of
Innstetten. And if her husband, our son-in-law, desires to take a
wedding tour and use it as an occasion for making a new catalogue of
every gallery, I can't keep him from doing it. That is what it means
to get married."

"So now you admit it. In talking with me you have always denied, yes,
always denied that the wife is in a condition of restraint."

"Yes, Luise, I have. But what is the use of discussing that now? It is
really too wide a field."

CHAPTER VI

Innstetten's leave of absence was to expire the 15th of November, and
so when they had reached Capri and Sorrento he felt morally bound to
follow his usual habit of returning to his duties on the day and at
the hour designated. So on the morning of the 14th they arrived by the
fast express in Berlin, w