"This wasteful expenditure on the abandoned, on notorious tipplers, will shortly cease."
The Professorin now requested Fräulein Milch to leave her; she had never kissed her yet, but to-day she embraced her affectionately and gave her a kiss. She wanted to calm her wounded feelings, to make her some amends, and show the countess how highly she esteemed the person she had so rudely attacked, who appeared so defenceless, or who did not choose to defend herself. After Fräulein Milch had gone, Bella said,—
"I cannot conceive how you can be so intimate with this person; you dishonor thereby all who stand in relations of friendship with you."
"I think that any one whom I esteem, and whom I unite to myself in friendship, is placed by this fact in a position of respect, and I have a right to expect that every one will show it."
"Of course, of course, so long as you are here. But if you leave the vicinity before long-—-"
"Leave the vicinity?"
"The work here is now accomplished, and—"
The Professorin had to sit down. Bella's eyes flashed; she had attained what she wished; she had torn off all the tinsel from these people, who were forever making a parade of spirituality, and decking themselves out with sublime ideas, and now here they were naked and helpless.
In a very courteous tone she said,—
"Oh, I assure you, I should be very sorry to anticipate Herr Sonnenkamp's dismissal."