"Why not? That home is a very worthy home indeed, and I feel sure that you will be well cared for."
After that I did not dare to say more.
Chapter XVI
The preparation for the departure began at once. The next day my mistress took me to the home herself, commended me to the special care of the directress, and I lived once more in the room containing the eight beds. I knew none of the girls and was not at all eager to know them. However, when I entered the dining-room in the evening I had a surprise. Somebody called my name. I was much astonished, and asked myself which of the girls could know me. The one who had called my name was sitting at the table beckoning to me with both of her hands.
"Do come," she said vivaciously.
I did not remember that I had ever seen her, and believed already that she was mistaking me for somebody else, when suddenly it came into my mind who she was. She was the girl who had slept next to me during my first stay at the home—the girl with the large, bright eyes and the auburn hair. I was now glad after all that somebody knew and greeted me.
"Are you looking out for a situation?" I asked her during supper.
"No," she replied, "I am living here"; and then she told me that she was a correspondent for German. I listened and shook my head.