[Gutenberg 25120] • Aron prinsessa

Excerpt: ... standing in the hall with a beating heart. I breathed once more--the bear of an old man had come just at the right moment; in an instant more I should have allowed Herr Claudius to induce me to confess all I had suffered that evening about him.... What did it mean? The ground gave way beneath my feet; the old gentleman in the blue spectacles --all at once this phantom of the past had disappeared; and all that had made such a deep impression on me, in the new world, seemed as nothing when compared with the striking appearance of the "Kramer." XXVII. I Ran upstairs to the sitting-rooms. Three, communicating with one another and surrounding Charlotte's, were always comfortably warmed and lighted. The doors all stood wide open, and Herr Claudius liked, when conversing, to be able now and then to pace their entire length. The circle that assembled round the tea-table was a very small one. A few old gentlemen, so-called respectable people, and a few friends of old times came now and then; but my father--and as a matter of course, his "daisy" too--with young Helldorf were regular guests; Louisa, too, the young orphan and silent needlewoman, was also present. On the other hand, the old bookkeeper had excused himself once for all by saying he was growing old, and wished to avoid passing through the garden on cold and foggy evenings: in reality, however, he had openly declared that the House of Claudius had assumed such a doubtful aspect, that he at all events had determined to wash his hands of it, and take no part in that for which the present owner would one day have to answer to his predecessors. On this occasion the rooms were still empty. It was a cold November evening; the first light flakes of snow were mingling with a close, fine rain, which hung over the...