e now felt its warmth radiating toward her. How
fine it was to be in her own home! At no time during the whole tour
had she enjoyed so much comfort, not even in Sorrento.

But where was Innstetten? All was still round about her, nobody was
there. She heard only the tick-tock of a small clock and now and then
a low sound in the stove, from which she inferred that a few new
sticks of wood were being shoved in from the hall. Gradually she
recalled that Geert had spoken the evening before of an electric bell,
for which she did not have to search long. Close by her pillows was
the little white ivory button, and she now pressed softly upon it.

Johanna appeared at once. "At your Ladyship's service."

"Oh, Johanna, I believe I have overslept myself. It must be late."

"Just nine."

"And my--" She couldn't make herself speak straightway of her
"husband." "His Lordship, he must have kept very quiet. I didn't hear
anything."

"I'm sure he did. And your Ladyship has slept soundly. After the long
journey--"

"Yes, I have. And his Lordship, is he always up so early?"

"Always, your Ladyship. On that point he is strict; he cannot endure
late sleeping, and when he enters his room across the hall the stove
must be warm, and the coffee must not be late."

"So he has already had his breakfast?"

"Oh, no, your Ladyship--His Lordship--"

Effi felt that she ought not to have asked the question and would
better have kept to herself the suspicion that Innstetten might not
have waited for her. So she was very eager to correct her mistake the
best she could, and when she had got up and taken a seat before the
pier-glass she resumed the conversation, saying: "Moreover, his
Lordship is quite right. Always to be up early was likewise the rule
in my parents' home. When people sleep away the morning, everything is
out of gear the rest of the day. But his Lordship will not be so
strict with me. For a long time last night I couldn't sleep, and was
even frightened a little bit."

"What must I hear, your Ladyship? What was it, pray?"

"There was a very strange noise overhead, not loud, but very
penetrating. At first it sounded as though gowns with long trains were
dragging over the floor, and in my excitement it seemed a few times as
though I heard little white satin slippers. It seemed as though they
were dancing overhead, but quite softly."

As the conversation ran on thus Johanna glanced over the shoulder of
the young wife at the ta