ecause
he is here at Koseritz that I'm so comfortable, and not in the least
shy, as I was that day at luncheon. I simply take things as they come,
and don't think about myself at all. When I came down to supper
to-night he was waiting in the hall, to show me the way, he said; and
he watched me coming down the stairs with that look in his eyes that is
such a contrast to the smart, alert efficiency of his figure and
manner,--it is so gentle, so kind. I went into the room where they all
were with a funny feeling of being safe. I don't even know whether
Helena stared.

To-morrow the Klosters come over, and are going to stay the night, and
to-morrow I may play my fiddle again. I've faithfully kept my promise
and not touched it. Really, as it's a quarter to twelve now and at
midnight my week's fasting will be over, I might begin and play it
quite soon. I wonder what would happen if I sat on my window-sill and
played Ravel to the larkspurs and the stars! I believe it would make
even the Graf say something. But I won't do anything so unlike, as
Frau Bornsted would say, what a _junges Madchen_ generally does, but go
to bed instead, into the prettiest bed I've slept in since I had a
frilly cot in the nursery,--all pink silk coverlet and lace-edged
sheets. The room is just like an English country-house bedroom; in
fact the Grafin told me she got all her chintzes in London! It's so
funny after my room at Frau Berg's, and my little unpainted wooden
attic at the Oberforsterei.

Good night, my blessed mother. There are two owls somewhere calling to
each other in the forest. Not another sound. Such utter peace.

Your Chris.

_Koseritz, Sunday evening, July 19, 1914_.

My own darling mother,

I don't know what you'll say, but I'm engaged to Bernd. That's Herr
von Inster. You know his name is Bernd? I don't know what to say to
it myself. I can't quite believe it. This time last night I was
writing to you in this very room, with no thought of anything in the
world but just ordinary happiness with kind friends and one specially
kind and understanding friend, and here I am twenty-four hours later
done with ordinary happiness, taken into my lover's heart for ever.

It was so strange. I don't believe any girl ever got engaged in quite
that way before. I'm sure everybody thinks we're insane, except
Kloster. Kloster doesn't. He understands.

It was after supper. Only three hours ago. I wonder if it w