e of
surgical art. It was performed by Wilms and I believe they call it
resection.

"Both Mr. and Mrs. Crampas were at our house a fortnight ago to pay us
a visit. The situation was painful, for Mrs. Crampas watched her
husband so closely that he became half-embarrassed, and I wholly. That
he can be different, even jaunty and in high spirits, I was convinced
three days ago, when, he sat alone with Innstetten, and I was able to
follow their conversation from my room. I afterward talked with him
myself and found him a perfect gentleman and extraordinarily clever.
Innstetten was in the same brigade with him during the war and they
often saw each other at Count Groeben's to the north of Paris. Yes, my
dear mama, he is just the man to instill new life into Kessin.
Besides, he has none of the Pomeranian prejudices, even though he is
said to have come from Swedish Pomerania. But his wife! Nothing can be
done without her, of course, and still less with her."

Effi was quite right. As a matter of fact no close friendship was
established with the Crampas family. They met once at the Borckes',
again quite casually at the station, and a few days later on a steamer
excursion up the "Broad" to a large beech and oak forest called "The
Chatter-man." But they merely exchanged short greetings, and Effi was
glad when the bathing season opened early in June. To be sure, there
was still a lack of summer visitors, who as a rule did not come in
numbers before St. John's Day. But even the preparations afforded
entertainment. In the "Plantation" a merry-go-round and targets were
set up, the boatmen calked and painted their boats, every little
apartment put up new curtains, and rooms with damp exposure and
subject to dry-rot were fumigated and aired.

In Effi's own home everybody was also more or less excited, not
because of summer visitors, however, but of another expected arrival.
Even Mrs. Kruse wished to help as much as she could. But Effi was
alarmed at the thought of it and said: "Geert, don't let Mrs. Kruse
touch anything. It would do no good, and I have enough to worry about
without that." Innstetten promised all she asked, adding that Christel
and Johanna would have plenty of time, anyhow.

* * * * *

[An elderly widow and her maid arrived and took rooms for the season
opposite the Innstetten house. The widow died and was buried in the
cemetery. After watching the funeral from her window Effi walked