of his whip. The servants had long been watching at the doors
and windows for their master and mistress, and even before the
carriage stopped all the inmates of the house were grouped upon the
stone doorstep, which took up the whole width of the sidewalk. In
front of them was Rollo, who, the moment the carriage stopped, began
to circle around it. Innstetten first of all helped his young wife to
alight. Then, offering her his arm, he walked with a friendly bow past
the servants, who promptly turned and followed him into the
entrance-hall, which was furnished with splendid old wardrobes and
cases standing around the walls. The housemaid, a pretty girl, no
longer very young, whose stately plumpness was almost as becoming to
her as the neat little cap on her blonde head, helped her mistress
take off her muff and cloak, and was just stooping down to take off
her fur-lined rubber shoes. But before she had time to make a
beginning, Innstetten said: "I suppose the best thing will be for me
to introduce to you right here all the occupants of our house, with
the exception of Mrs. Kruse, who does not like to be seen, and who, I
presume, is holding her inevitable black chicken again." Everybody
smiled. "But never mind Mrs. Kruse. Here is my old Frederick, who was
with me when I was at the university. Good times then, weren't they,
Frederick?--This is Johanna, a fellow countrywoman of yours, if you
count those who come from the region of Pasewalk as full-fledged
Brandenburgians; and this is Christel, to whom we trust our bodily
welfare every noon and evening, and who knows how to cook, I can
assure you.--And this is Rollo. Well, Rollo, how goes it?"

Rollo seemed only to have waited for this special greeting, for the
moment he heard his name he gave a bark for joy, stood up on his hind
legs and laid his forepaws on his master's shoulders.

"That will do, Rollo, that will do. But look here; this is my wife. I
have told her about you and said that you were a beautiful animal and
would protect her." Hereupon Rollo ceased fawning and sat down in
front of Innstetten, looking up curiously at the young wife. And when
she held out her hand to him he frisked around her.

During this introduction scene Effi had found time to look about. She
was enchanted, so to speak, by everything she saw, and at the same
time dazzled by the abundant light. In the forepart of the hall were
burning four or five wall lights, the reflectors themselves very
p