use came. As he was about to take the glasses Crampas said: "Kruse,
leave the one glass, this one here. I'll take it myself."

"Your servant, Major."

Effi, who had overheard this, shook her head. Then she laughed.
"Crampas, what in the world are you thinking of? Kruse is stupid
enough not to think a second time about anything, and even if he did
he fortunately would arrive at no conclusion. But that does not
justify you in keeping this thirty-pfennig glass from the Joseph Glass
Works."

"Your scornful reference to its price makes me feel its value all the
more deeply."

"Always the same story. You are such a humorist, but a very queer one.
If I understand you rightly you are going to--it is ridiculous and I
almost hesitate to say it--you are going to perform now the act of the
King of Thule."

He nodded with a touch of roguishness.

"Very well, for all I care. Everybody wears his right cap; you know
which one. But I must be permitted to say that the role you are
assigning to me in this connection is far from flattering. I don't
care to figure as a rhyme to your King of Thule. Keep the glass, but
please draw no conclusions that would compromise me. I shall tell
Innstetten about it."

"That you will not do, most gracious Lady."

"Why not?"

"Innstetten is not the man to see such things in their proper light."

She eyed him sharply for a moment, then lowered her eyes confused and
almost embarrassed.

CHAPTER XVIII

[Effi's peace was disturbed, but the prospect of a quiet winter, with
few occasions to meet Crampas, reassured her. She and her husband
began to spend their evenings reviewing their Italian journey.
Gieshuebler joined them and soon announced that Crampas was planning an
amateur performance of _A Step out of the Way_, with Effi as the
heroine. She felt the danger, but was eager to act, as Crampas was
only the coach. Her playing won enthusiastic applause and Innstetten
raved over his captivating wife. A casual remark about Mrs. Crampas
led him to assert that she was insanely jealous of Effi, and to tell
how Crampas had wheedled her into agreeing to stay at home the second
day after Christmas, while he himself joined the Innstettens and
others on a sleighing party. Innstetten then said, in a way suggesting
the strict pedagogue, that Crampas was not to be trusted, particularly
in his relations to women. On Christmas day Effi was happy till she
discovered she had received no greeting from Cr