The two Dellwigs, perplexed by Anna's laughter when nobody had said anything amusing, and uneasy lest she should be laughing at something about themselves, looked from her to Susie suspiciously, and for that brief moment were quiet.
"Wir sind hungrig," said Anna to the wife.
"The food comes immediately," she replied; and hastened away with the cook and the other servant through a door evidently leading to the kitchen.
"Und kalt," continued Anna plaintively to the husband, who at once flung open another door, through which they saw a table spread for dinner. "Bitte, bitte," he said, ushering them in as though the place belonged to him.
"Does this person live in the house?" inquired Susie, eying him with little goodwill.
"He told me he lives at the farm. But of course he has always looked after everything here."
When they were all in the dining-room, driven in by Dellwig, as Susie remarked, like a flock of sheep by a shepherd determined to stand no nonsense, he helped them with officious politeness to take off their wraps, and then, bowing almost to the ground, asked permission to withdraw while the Herrschaften ate, a permission that was given with alacrity, Anna's face falling, however, upon his informing her that he would come round later on in order to lay his plans for the summer before her.
"What does he say?" asked Susie, as the door shut behind him.
"He's coming round again later on."
"That man's going to be a nuisance—you see if he isn't," said Susie with conviction.