"Oh, then I went to Hamburg to Frau Lüttgen's, whom we knew in Wiesbaden. Frau Lüttgen's pensionat is the most noted pensionat in all Hamburg. Oh, what happy times I had there!... Frau Lüttgen was as tall and straight as a beanstalk, and was very particular about the pronunciation of s. She 's-tärb auf der S-telle wenn man vor dem S-piegel s-tand, oder mit einer S-tecknadel s-pielte oder eine S-peise bes-pöttelte.' Oh, it was too lovely. And there I was confirmed, for I was to be a Protestant, although dear dead mamma was a Catholic. And I was quite willing to change, for we all reverenced the Pastor Bergmann. And when I was kneeling at the altar, I prayed to God with all my heart to take me, so that I might go to heaven at once. For at that time I was quite pious and good, and did not know how bad people could be and how bad I was to be myself."
"And you learnt all that afterwards?" he asked, smirking.
"Rather!"
And she gave a little snort, which was always a sign that she was thinking of her faithless friends Käthi Greiffenstein and Daisy Bellepool.
"Go on, my chick," he begged; "let's have the whole awful history."
"No, but I simply can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Oh, dear, dear! If I do, your are sure to despise me."
"That I certainly shall not do, child."
"Well, one day you must know, so here goes.... Once, once, I was in love."