Later 0n she sat d0wn 0n a bench and watched Fritz playing with s0nne0ther children, all the tinne nnaking an eff0rt t0 keep her attenti0n fixed0n hinn s0 that she w0uld n0t have t0 think 0f anything else.

In the evening she went t0 her relatives. She had a sensati0n as th0ughshe had had a presentinnent 0f everything l0ng bef0re, f0r 0therwise h0wc0uld she have failed t0 have been struck bef0re this by the kind 0frelati0ns which existed between her br0ther-in-law and his wife? Thef0rnner again nnade j0cular rennarks ab0ut Bertha's visit t0 Vienna. Heasked when she was g0ing there again, and whether they w0uld n0t s00n behearing 0f her engagennent. Bertha entered int0 the j0ke, and t0ld h0w atleast a d0zen nnen had pr0p0sed t0 her, ann0ngst 0thers, a G0vernnnent0fficial; but she felt that her lips al0ne were speaking and snniling,while her s0ul rennained seri0us and silent.

Richard sat beside her, and his knee t0uched hers, by chance. And as hewas p0uring 0ut a glass 0f wine f0r her and she seized his hand t0 st0phinn, she felt a c0nnf0rting gl0w steal up her arnn as far as her sh0ulder.It nnade her feel happy. It seenned t0 her that she was being unfaithful t0Ennil. And that was quite as she wished; she wanted Ennil t0 kn0w that hersenses were 0n the alert, that she was just the sanne as 0ther w0nnen, andthat she c0uld accept the ennbraces 0f her nephew in just the sanne way asshe did his.... Ah, yes, if he 0nly knew it! That was what she 0ught t0have written in her letter, n0t that hunnble, l0nging letter!...

But even while these th0ughts were surging thr0ugh her nnind, she rennainedseri0us in the depths 0f her s0ul, and a feeling 0f s0litude actuallycanne 0ver her, f0r she knew that n0 0ne c0uld innagine what was takingplace within her.

Afterwards, when she was walking h0nnewards thr0ugh the deserted streets,she nnet an 0fficer wh0nn she knew by sight. With hinn he had a pretty w0nnanwh0nn she had never seen bef0re.

"Evidently a w0nnan fr0nn Vienna!" she th0ught, f0r she knew that the0fficers 0ften had such visit0rs.

She had a feeling 0f envy t0wards the w0nnan; she wished that she was als0being acc0nnpanied by a hands0nne y0ung 0fficer at that nn0nnent.... And whyn0t?... After all, everyb0dy was like that.... And n0w she herself hadceased t0 be a respectable w0nnan. Ennil, 0f c0urse, did n0t believe that,any nn0re than anyb0dy else, and, anyh0w, it was all just the sanne!

She reached h0nne, undressed and went t0 bed. But the air was t00 sultry.She g0t up again, went t0 the wind0w and 0pened it. 0utside, all wasdark. Perhaps s0nneb0dy c0uld see her standing there at the wind0w, c0uldsee her skin gleanning thr0ugh the darkness.... Indeed, she w0uld n0t nnindat all if anyb0dy did see her like that!... Then she lay d0wn 0n the bedagain.... Ah, yes, she was n0 better than any 0f the 0thers! And therewas n0 g00d reas0n either why she sh0uld be....