ou are a charming little woman, but
persistence is not exactly your specialty."

He arose to go. When he had got as far as the door Frederick entered
to deliver a note from Gieshuebler, addressed, of course, to her
Ladyship.

Effi took it. "A secret correspondence with Gieshuebler," she said.
"Material for another fit of jealousy on the part of my austere Lord.
Or isn't it?"

"No, not quite, my dear Effi. I am so foolish as to make a distinction
between Crampas and Gieshuebler. They are not the same number of carats
fine, so to speak. You know, the value of gold is estimated by carats,
in certain circumstances that of men also. And I must add that I
personally have a considerably higher regard for Gieshuebler's white
jabot, in spite of the fact that jabots are no longer worn, than I
have for Crampas's red sapper whiskers. But I doubt if that is
feminine taste."

"You think we are weaker than we are."

"A consolation of extraordinarily little practical application. But
enough of that. Read your note."

Effi read: "May I inquire about the health of my gracious Lady? I know
only that you luckily escaped the quicksand. But there was still
plenty of danger lurking along the road through the woods. Dr.
Hannemann has just returned and reassures me concerning Mirambo,
saying that yesterday he considered the case more serious than he
cared to let us know, but not so today. It was a charming
sleigh-ride.--In three days we shall celebrate New Year's eve. We
shall have to forego a festivity like last year's, but we shall have a
ball, of course, and to see you present would delight the dancers and,
by no means least, Yours most respectfully, Alonzo G."

Effi laughed. "Well, what do you say?"

"The same as before, simply that I should rather see you with
Gieshuebler than with Crampas."

"Because you take Crampas too seriously and Gieshuebler too lightly."

Innstetten jokingly shook his finger at her.

Three days later was New Year's eve. Effi appeared in a charming ball
gown, a gift that the Christmas table had brought her. But she did not
dance. She took her seat among the elderly dames, for whom easy chairs
were placed near the orchestra gallery. Of the particular noble
families with which the Innstettens associated there was nobody
present, because, shortly before, there had occurred a slight
disagreement with the city faction in the management of the club,
which had been accused of "destructive tendencies," especia