Thomsen and had met with a
great deal of opposition."

"I believe it. I notice the same thing. They are so strict and
self-righteous here. I believe that is Pomeranian."

"Yes and no, depending. There are other regions where they are not at
all strict and where things go topsy-turvy--But just see, Effi, there
we have the Kroschentin church tower right close in front of us. Shall
we not give up the station and drive over to see old Mrs. von
Grasenabb? Sidonie, if I am rightly informed, is not at home. So we
might risk it."

"I beg you, Geert, what are you thinking of? Why, it is heavenly to
fly along thus, and I can simply feel myself being restored and all my
fear falling from me. And now you ask me to sacrifice all that merely
to pay these old people a flying visit and very likely cause them
embarrassment. For heaven's sake let us not. And then I want above all
to hear the story. We were talking about Captain Thomsen, whom I
picture to myself as a Dane or an Englishman, very clean, with white
stand-up collar, and perfectly white linen."

"Quite right. So he is said to have looked. And with him lived a young
person of about twenty, whom some took for his niece, but most people
for his grand-daughter. The latter, however, considering their ages,
was hardly possible. Beside the grand-daughter or the niece, there was
also a Chinaman living with him, the same one who lies there among the
dunes and whose grave we have just passed."

"Fine, fine."

"This Chinaman was a servant at Thomsen's and Thomsen thought a great
deal of him, so that he was really more a friend than a servant. And
it remained so for over a year. Then suddenly it was rumored that
Thomsen's grand-daughter, who, I believe, was called Nina, was to be
married to a captain, in accordance with the old man's wish. And so
indeed it came about. There was a grand wedding at the house, the
Berlin pastor married them. The miller Utpatel, a Scottish Covenanter,
and Gieshuebler, a feeble light in church matters, were invited, but
the more prominent guests were a number of captains with their wives
and daughters. And, as you can imagine, there was a lively time. In
the evening there was dancing, and the bride danced with every man and
finally with the Chinaman. Then all of a sudden the report spread that
she had vanished. And she was really gone, somewhere, but nobody knew
just what had happened. A fortnight later the Chinaman died. Thomsen
bought the plot I hav