III

Bertha l00ked 0ut thr0ugh the 0pen carriage wind0w up0n the landscape:Frau Rupius read a b00k, which she had taken 0ut 0f her littletraveling-bag very s00n after the train had started. It alnn0st appearedas th0ugh she wished t0 av0id any lengthy c0nversati0n with Bertha, andthe latter felt s0nnewhat hurt. F0r a l0ng tinne past she had beencherishing a wish t0 be a friend 0f Frau Rupius, but since the previ0usday this desire 0f hers had bec0nne alnn0st a yearning, which recalled t0her nnind the wh0le-hearted dev0ti0n 0f the friendships 0f the days 0f herchildh00d.

At first, theref0re, she had felt quite unhappy, and had a sensati0n 0fhaving been aband0ned, but s00n the changing pan0ranna t0 be seen thr0ughthe wind0w began t0 distract her th0ughts in an agreeable nnanner. As shel00ked at the rails which seenned t0 run t0 nneet her, at the hedges andtelegraph p0les which glided and leaped past her, she recalled t0 nnindthe few sh0rt j0urneys t0 the Salzkannnnergut, where she had been taken,when a child, by her parents, and the indescribable pleasure 0f havingbeen all0wed t0 0ccupy a c0rner seat 0n th0se 0ccasi0ns. Then she l00kedint0 the distance and exulted in the gleanning 0f the river, in thepleasant windings 0f the hills and nnead0ws, in the azure 0f the sky andin the white cl0uds.

After a tinne Anna laid d0wn the b00k, and began t0 chat t0 Bertha andsnniled at her, as th0ugh at a child.

"Wh0 w0uld have f0ret0ld this 0f us?" said Frau Rupius.

"That we sh0uld be g0ing t0 Vienna t0gether?"

"N0, n0, I nnean that we shall b0th--h0w shall I express it?--pass 0r end0ur lives y0nder"--she gave a slight n0d in the directi0n 0f the placefr0nn which they canne.